Drive or Fly: Cleveland, TX to Lubbock, 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–LBB. At 220 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 58m

Distance

220 mi

Total Cost

$89

CO2

89 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$54

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 59m

24m in the air

Air Distance

200 mi

Total Cost

$183

CO2

51 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Cleveland, TX → ABI 85m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 24m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

LBB → Lubbock, TX 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $128) $128

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Cleveland, TX ABI — Abilene Regional Airport 57 mi, ~85m drive

Lubbock, TX LBB — Lubbock Preston Smith International Airport 6 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ABI and LBB. 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

6h 45m

5h 20m on road

Total Cost

$25

CO2

13 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Cleveland, TX → Brady (Stripes) (BDR6) 30m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 320m

Arrival 10m

Lubbock Citibus DT Transfer Plaza (LUB6) → Lubbock, TX 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $25) $25

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

Stations

From BDR6 — Brady (Stripes) 0 mi, ~30m drive

To LUB6 — Lubbock Citibus DT Transfer Plaza 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	3h 58m	3h 59m	6h 45m
Total cost (1 person)	$89	$183	$25
Carbon footprint	89 kg CO₂	51 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 24, 2026.

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