Drive or Fly: Malvern, AR to Bentonville, 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 HOT–XNA. At 227 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

4h 13m

Distance

227.7 mi

Total Cost

$69

CO2

92 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$34

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 58m

19m in the air

Air Distance

160 mi

Total Cost

$181

CO2

41 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Malvern, AR → HOT 27m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 19m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

XNA → Bentonville, AR 12m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Malvern, AR HOT — Memorial Field Airport 18 mi, ~27m drive

Bentonville, AR XNA — Northwest Arkansas National Airport 8 mi, ~12m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between HOT 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

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

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 185m

Arrival 10m

Van Buren/ Ft Smith Bus Depot (FSM6) → Bentonville, 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	4h 13m	2h 58m	4h 30m
Total cost (1 person)	$69	$181	$13
Carbon footprint	92 kg CO₂	41 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.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

227.7 mi 4h 12m

via I 40, AR 7, I 49

Alternative (+15 min)

229.5 mi 4h 28m

via US 71, I 49, US 270B

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