Drive or Fly: Dayton, TX to Lubbock, TX?

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

Could go either way

Medium

This distance is a toss-up. Drive if you want flexibility and lower cost, fly if you value time. Connecting flights add time.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

10h 8m

Distance

556.5 mi

Total Cost

$318

CO2

225 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$138

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 48m

57m in the air

Air Distance

476 mi

Total Cost

$194

CO2

121 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Dayton, TX → IAH 41m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 57m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

LBB → Lubbock, TX 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $139) $139

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Dayton, TX IAH — George Bush Intercontinental Airport 28 mi, ~41m drive

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

Flight Data

Service

Connecting only

On-Time

100.0%

+ Saves about 6h 20m compared to driving

+ Less physical fatigue

+ Predictable arrival time

− Airport security and check-in overhead

− 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	10h 8m	3h 48m
Total cost (1 person)	$318	$194
Carbon footprint	225 kg CO₂	121 kg CO₂
Flexibility	High	Low
Luggage	Unlimited	Restricted
Reliability	Weather dependent	100% on-time

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 Oct 23, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

556.5 mi 10h 7m

via US 84, TX 6, TX 153

Alternative (+36 min)

601.1 mi 10h 44m

via I 45, US 82; TX 114, US 81; US 287

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