Drive or Fly: Gravel Ridge, AR to Springdale, AR?

Side-by-side comparison of driving versus flying for this route. Costs, time, and trade-offs at a glance.

Driving wins

Medium

No scheduled commercial flights found for LIT–XNA. At 204 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 38m

Distance

204 mi

Total Cost

$85

CO2

82 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$50

Hotel (1 room, 0 nights) $0

Meals (1 pax, 1 day) $35

+ No luggage restrictions or TSA lines

+ Comfortable one-day drive

+ Stop anywhere along the route

+ Have your own car at the destination

+ Likely faster door-to-door than flying

− Wear and tear on vehicle

− Fuel price fluctuations

Plan the drive

Fly

Door to Door

2h 50m

17m in the air

Air Distance

142 mi

Total Cost

$181

CO2

36 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Gravel Ridge, AR → LIT 15m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 17m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

XNA → Springdale, AR 18m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Gravel Ridge, AR LIT — Bill & Hillary Clinton National Airport/Adams Field 10 mi, ~15m drive

Springdale, AR XNA — Northwest Arkansas National Airport 12 mi, ~18m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between LIT and XNA. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Less physical fatigue

+ Predictable arrival time

− Airport security and check-in overhead

− No scheduled commercial flights found for this route

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

5h 27m

3h 5m on road

Total Cost

$13

CO2

7 kg

Route

Greyhound US1148S

Door-to-Door Timeline

Gravel Ridge, AR → Bryant-Little Rock (Gassy's) (BRT6) 36m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 185m

Arrival 10m

Van Buren/ Ft Smith Bus Depot (FSM6) → Springdale, AR 81m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $13) $13

Estimated based on distance. Check flixbus.com for current prices.

Stations

From BRT6 — Bryant-Little Rock (Gassy's) 24 mi, ~36m drive

To FSM6 — Van Buren/ Ft Smith Bus Depot 54 mi, ~81m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~9/week

+ Usually the cheapest option

+ Wi-Fi and power outlets on board

+ No driving fatigue — relax or work en route

+ Much lower carbon footprint than driving or flying

− Limited schedule — about 9 trips per week

− Travel time longer than driving

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Bus
Door-to-door time	3h 38m	2h 50m	5h 27m
Total cost (1 person)	$85	$181	$13
Carbon footprint	82 kg CO₂	36 kg CO₂	7 kg CO₂
Flexibility	High	Low
Luggage	Unlimited	Restricted
Reliability	Weather dependent	Data unavailable

Drive data: OSRM routing, EIA fuel prices

Flight data: Statistical estimate

Airports: OurAirports

Transit: FlixBus GTFS — fares estimated

Confidence: Medium — airports identified, fares estimated

Costs are estimates. Actual flight prices vary by airline, date, and booking time. Drive costs based on OSRM routing, EIA fuel prices. Computed Oct 23, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

204 mi 3h 37m

via I 40; US 167, I 49, I 57; US 167

Shortest (+20 min)

190.5 mi 3h 58m

via I 40; US 167, AR 16, AR 23

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Gravel Ridge, AR to Springdale, AR with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.