Drive or Fly: Joplin, MO to Valley Park, MO?

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 JLN–STL. At 266 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

4h 58m

Distance

266 mi

Total Cost

$91

CO2

107 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$56

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

3h 2m

29m in the air

Air Distance

242 mi

Total Cost

$185

CO2

62 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Joplin, MO → JLN 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 29m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

STL → Valley Park, MO 23m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $130) $130

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Joplin, MO JLN — Joplin Regional Airport 5 mi, ~10m drive

Valley Park, MO STL — St. Louis Lambert International Airport 15 mi, ~23m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between JLN and STL. 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 57m

5h on road

Total Cost

$28

CO2

15 kg

Route

Greyhound US1210

Door-to-Door Timeline

Joplin, MO → Joplin Bus Station (JOP6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 300m

Arrival 10m

Saint Louis (Lambert Field) (SOL6) → Valley Park, MO 22m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $28) $28

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

Stations

From JOP6 — Joplin Bus Station 2 mi, ~10m drive

To SOL6 — Saint Louis (Lambert Field) 15 mi, ~22m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~7/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 7 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	4h 58m	3h 2m	5h 57m
Total cost (1 person)	$91	$185	$28
Carbon footprint	107 kg CO₂	62 kg CO₂	15 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 Jun 3, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Joplin, MO to Valley Park, MO with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.