Drive or Fly: Houston, TX to Fort Davis, 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 HOU–CNM. At 593 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

10h 4m

Distance

593 mi

Total Cost

$305

CO2

240 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$125

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

6h 21m

1h 2m in the air

Air Distance

513 mi

Total Cost

$196

CO2

131 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Houston, TX → HOU 15m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 62m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

CNM → Fort Davis, TX 184m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $141) $141

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Houston, TX HOU — William P. Hobby Airport 10 mi, ~15m drive

Fort Davis, TX CNM — Cavern City Air Terminal 123 mi, ~184m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between HOU and CNM. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 3h 43m compared to driving

+ 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

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

16h 58m

15h 36m on rail

Total Cost

$100

CO2

29 kg

Route

Sunset Limited

Door-to-Door Timeline

Houston, TX → Houston 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 936m

Arrival 10m

Alpine Amtrak Station → Fort Davis, TX 32m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $100) $100

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

Stations

From Houston 0 mi, ~10m drive

To Alpine Amtrak Station 21 mi, ~32m 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	10h 4m	6h 21m	16h 58m
Total cost (1 person)	$305	$196	$100
Carbon footprint	240 kg CO₂	131 kg CO₂	29 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: Amtrak 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 Jun 3, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

593 mi 10h 3m

via I 10; US 87, I 10; US 90, TX 17

Alternative (+75 min)

634.4 mi 11h 19m

via I 10, US 190, TX 71

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