Drive or Fly: Amarillo, TX to San Antonio, 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 AMA–SAT. At 506 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

8h 53m

Distance

506.8 mi

Total Cost

$147

CO2

205 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$112

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

− Driver fatigue on longer stretches

− Wear and tear on vehicle

− Fuel price fluctuations

Plan the drive

Fly

Door to Door

3h 16m

53m in the air

Air Distance

445 mi

Total Cost

$193

CO2

114 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Amarillo, TX → AMA 11m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 53m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SAT → San Antonio, TX 12m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $138) $138

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Amarillo, TX AMA — Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport 7 mi, ~11m drive

San Antonio, TX SAT — San Antonio International Airport 8 mi, ~12m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between AMA and SAT. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 5h 37m 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

12h 55m

11h 30m on road

Total Cost

$49

CO2

29 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Amarillo, TX → Amarillo Multimodal Transfer Sta (AMR6) 30m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 690m

Arrival 10m

San Antonio Bus Station (SNT6) → San Antonio, TX 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $49) $49

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

Stations

From AMR6 — Amarillo Multimodal Transfer Sta 0 mi, ~30m drive

To SNT6 — San Antonio Bus Station 0 mi, ~30m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~7/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 7 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	8h 53m	3h 16m	12h 55m
Total cost (1 person)	$147	$193	$49
Carbon footprint	205 kg CO₂	114 kg CO₂	29 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 Apr 21, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

506.8 mi 8h 52m

via US 83, US 84, I 27

Alternative (+17 min)

529.5 mi 9h 10m

via US 87, I 27, US 83

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Amarillo, TX to San Antonio, TX with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.