Drive or Fly: Newport, KY to Fort Smith, AR?

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

Driving wins

Medium

No direct flights for LUK–FSM. Driving is the practical choice at this distance.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

13h 46m

Distance

747.9 mi

Total Cost

$338

CO2

302 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$158

Hotel (1 room, 1 night) $110

Meals (1 pax, 2 days) $70

+ No luggage restrictions or TSA lines

+ Stop anywhere along the route

+ Have your own car at the destination

− Requires 2 days of driving

− Driver fatigue on longer stretches

− Wear and tear on vehicle

− Fuel price fluctuations

Plan the drive

Fly

Door to Door

3h 32m

1h 12m in the air

Air Distance

601 mi

Total Cost

$283

CO2

153 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Newport, KY → LUK 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 72m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

FSM → Fort Smith, AR 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $228) $228

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Newport, KY LUK — Cincinnati Municipal Airport Lunken Field 4 mi, ~10m drive

Fort Smith, AR FSM — Fort Smith Regional Airport 4 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between LUK and FSM. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 10h 14m compared to driving

+ 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly
Door-to-door time	13h 46m	3h 32m
Total cost (1 person)	$338	$283
Carbon footprint	302 kg CO₂	153 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

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.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

747.9 mi 13h 46m

via US 412, I 40; US 65, I 69

Alternative (+4 min)

768.9 mi 13h 50m

via I 40, I 65, I 71

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Newport, KY to Fort Smith, AR with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.