Drive or Fly: Katy, TX to Amarillo, 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 IAH–AMA. At 590 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

10h 37m

Distance

590.7 mi

Total Cost

$310

CO2

239 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$130

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

4h 1m

1h 2m in the air

Air Distance

513 mi

Total Cost

$196

CO2

131 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Katy, TX → IAH 48m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 62m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

AMA → Amarillo, TX 11m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $141) $141

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Katy, TX IAH — George Bush Intercontinental Airport 32 mi, ~48m drive

Amarillo, TX AMA — Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport 7 mi, ~11m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between IAH and AMA. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 6h 36m 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly
Door-to-door time	10h 37m	4h 1m
Total cost (1 person)	$310	$196
Carbon footprint	239 kg CO₂	131 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

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 21, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

590.7 mi 10h 37m

via US 287, TX 6, US 81; US 287

Alternative (+35 min)

627.5 mi 11h 12m

via US 84, I 27; US 87, TX 71

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