Drive or Fly: Little Rock, AR to Bella Vista, 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 222 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 58m

Distance

222.4 mi

Total Cost

$68

CO2

90 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$33

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 51m

20m in the air

Air Distance

164 mi

Total Cost

$182

CO2

42 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Little Rock, AR → LIT 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 20m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

XNA → Bella Vista, AR 21m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $127) $127

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Little Rock, AR LIT — Bill & Hillary Clinton National Airport/Adams Field 4 mi, ~10m drive

Bella Vista, AR XNA — Northwest Arkansas National Airport 14 mi, ~21m 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

4h 30m

3h 5m on road

Total Cost

$13

CO2

13 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Little Rock, AR → Bryant-Little Rock (Gassy's) (BRT6) 30m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 185m

Arrival 10m

Van Buren/ Ft Smith Bus Depot (FSM6) → Bella Vista, AR 30m

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) 0 mi, ~30m drive

To FSM6 — Van Buren/ Ft Smith Bus Depot 0 mi, ~30m 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 58m	2h 51m	4h 30m
Total cost (1 person)	$68	$182	$13
Carbon footprint	90 kg CO₂	42 kg CO₂	13 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 19, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Little Rock, AR to Bella Vista, AR with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.