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Drive or Fly: Houston, TX to Crane, 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

8h 41m

Distance

499.9 mi

Total Cost

$140

CO2

202 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$105
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
− Driver fatigue on longer stretches
− Wear and tear on vehicle
− Fuel price fluctuations
Plan the drive

Fly

Door to Door

4h 5m

52m in the air

Air Distance

431 mi

Total Cost

$192

CO2

110 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Houston, TX → HOU 15m
Check-in & Security 90m
Flight 52m
Arrival & Baggage 30m
MAF → Crane, TX 58m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $137) $137
Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Houston, TX HOU — William P. Hobby Airport 10 mi, ~15m drive
Crane, TX MAF — Midland International Air and Space Port 39 mi, ~58m drive

Flight Data

Service

Connecting only

On-Time

100.0%

+ Saves about 4h 36m 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 8h 41m 4h 5m
Total cost (1 person) $140 $192
Carbon footprint 202 kg CO2 110 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 Jun 3, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest
499.9 mi 8h 40m

via I 10; US 87, I 10; US 90, Loop 1604

Shortest (+47 min)
499 mi 9h 28m

via TX 71, US 67, I 10; US 90

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