Drive or Fly: El Paso, TX to Arlington, 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 23m

Distance

618.6 mi

Total Cost

$297

CO2

250 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$117

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 35m

1h 6m in the air

Air Distance

552 mi

Total Cost

$197

CO2

141 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

El Paso, TX → ELP 11m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 66m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DFW → Arlington, TX 18m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $142) $142

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

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

Arlington, TX DFW — Dallas Fort Worth International Airport 12 mi, ~18m drive

Flight Data

Service

Connecting only

On-Time

98.5%

Cancellation

1.5%

+ Saves about 6h 48m 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

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

22h 52m

21h 12m on rail

Total Cost

$108

CO2

36 kg

Route

Texas Eagle

Door-to-Door Timeline

El Paso, TX → El Paso (ELP) 30m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 1272m

Arrival 10m

Fort Worth (FTW) → Arlington, TX 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $108) $108

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

Stations

From ELP — El Paso 0 mi, ~30m drive

To FTW — Fort Worth 0 mi, ~30m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~3/week

+ Spacious seating with legroom and power outlets

+ Walk around freely during the trip

+ Scenic views along the route

+ No driving fatigue — relax or work en route

+ Much lower carbon footprint than driving or flying

− Limited schedule — about 3 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

13h 20m

11h 55m on road

Total Cost

$61

CO2

36 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

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

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 715m

Arrival 10m

Arlington (7-Eleven) (ART6) → Arlington, TX 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $61) $61

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

Stations

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

To ART6 — Arlington (7-Eleven) 0 mi, ~30m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~8/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 8 trips per week

− Travel time longer than driving

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train	Bus
Door-to-door time	10h 23m	3h 35m	22h 52m	13h 20m
Total cost (1 person)	$297	$197	$108	$61
Carbon footprint	250 kg CO₂	141 kg CO₂	36 kg CO₂	36 kg CO₂
Flexibility	High	Low
Luggage	Unlimited	Restricted
Reliability	Weather dependent	99% on-time

Drive data: OSRM routing, EIA fuel prices

Flight data: Statistical estimate

Airports: OurAirports

Transit: Amtrak GTFS, 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 20, 2026.

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