Drive or Fly: Florence, AZ to Maricopa, AZ?

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 AZA–PHX. At 48 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 8m

Distance

48.1 mi

Total Cost

$46

CO2

19 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$11

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 21m

5m in the air

Air Distance

38 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

10 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Florence, AZ → AZA 37m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 5m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

PHX → Maricopa, AZ 39m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

Florence, AZ AZA — Mesa Gateway Airport 25 mi, ~37m drive

Maricopa, AZ PHX — Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport 26 mi, ~39m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between AZA and PHX. 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

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

2h 30m

1h 5m on road

Total Cost

CO2

3 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Florence, AZ → Eloy (Love's) (CSG6) 30m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 65m

Arrival 10m

Mesa Bus Stop (MES6) → Maricopa, AZ 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $5) $5

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

Stations

From CSG6 — Eloy (Love's) 0 mi, ~30m drive

To MES6 — Mesa Bus Stop 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	1h 8m	3h 21m	2h 30m
Total cost (1 person)	$46	$122	$5
Carbon footprint	19 kg CO₂	10 kg CO₂	3 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 19, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

48.1 mi 1h 7m

via BIA 1, I 10, AZ 287

Alternative (+9 min)

54.9 mi 1h 17m

via AZ 87, AZ 347, East Riggs Road

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Florence, AZ to Maricopa, AZ with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.