Drive or Fly: Albany, TX to El Paso, TX?

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 ABI–ELP. At 486 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

8h 18m

Distance

486.8 mi

Total Cost

$127

CO2

197 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$92

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

− Driver fatigue on longer stretches

− Wear and tear on vehicle

− Fuel price fluctuations

Plan the drive

Fly

Door to Door

3h 49m

51m in the air

Air Distance

425 mi

Total Cost

$192

CO2

108 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Albany, TX → ABI 47m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 51m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

ELP → El Paso, TX 11m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $137) $137

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Albany, TX ABI — Abilene Regional Airport 31 mi, ~47m drive

El Paso, TX ELP — El Paso International Airport 7 mi, ~11m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ABI and ELP. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 4h 29m 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

10h 5m

8h 40m on road

Total Cost

$44

CO2

28 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Albany, TX → Abilene (7-Eleven) (ABI6) 30m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 520m

Arrival 10m

El Paso Bus Station (W San Antonio St) (ELP6) → El Paso, TX 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $44) $44

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

Stations

From ABI6 — Abilene (7-Eleven) 0 mi, ~30m drive

To ELP6 — El Paso Bus Station (W San Antonio St) 0 mi, ~30m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~23/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

− Travel time longer than driving

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Bus
Door-to-door time	8h 18m	3h 49m	10h 5m
Total cost (1 person)	$127	$192	$44
Carbon footprint	197 kg CO₂	108 kg CO₂	28 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 Jul 21, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

486.8 mi 8h 17m

via I 20, I 10, TX 351

Alternative (+41 min)

510.1 mi 8h 59m

via I 10, I 20; TX 349, TX 158

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Albany, TX to El Paso, TX with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.