Drive or Fly: Searcy, AR 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 scheduled commercial flights found for LIT–FSM. At 177 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 15m

Distance

177.8 mi

Total Cost

$74

CO2

72 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$39

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 36m

18m in the air

Air Distance

150 mi

Total Cost

$126

CO2

38 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Searcy, AR → LIT 68m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 18m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

FSM → Fort Smith, AR 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Airports

Searcy, AR LIT — Bill & Hillary Clinton National Airport/Adams Field 45 mi, ~68m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between LIT and FSM. 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

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly
Door-to-door time	3h 15m	3h 36m
Total cost (1 person)	$74	$126
Carbon footprint	72 kg CO₂	38 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 Apr 21, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

177.8 mi 3h 15m

via I 40; US 65, US 64, I 57; US 64; US 167

Alternative (+15 min)

200.7 mi 3h 30m

via I 40; US 167, I 57; US 167, I 57; US 64; US 167

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