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Drive or Fly: La Pryor, TX to El Paso, 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 54m

Distance

526 mi

Total Cost

$163

CO2

213 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$128
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
− Driver fatigue on longer stretches
− Wear and tear on vehicle
− Fuel price fluctuations
Plan the drive

Fly

Door to Door

5h 23m

53m in the air

Air Distance

441 mi

Total Cost

$193

CO2

112 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

La Pryor, TX → SAT 139m
Check-in & Security 90m
Flight 53m
Arrival & Baggage 30m
ELP → El Paso, TX 11m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $138) $138
Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

La Pryor, TX SAT — San Antonio International Airport 93 mi, ~139m drive
El Paso, TX ELP — El Paso International Airport 7 mi, ~11m drive

Flight Data

Service

Connecting only

On-Time

100.0%

+ Saves about 3h 31m 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

10h 13m

8h 33m on rail

Total Cost

$74

CO2

31 kg

Route

Texas Eagle

Door-to-Door Timeline

La Pryor, TX → Del Rio Amtrak Station (DRT) 30m
Boarding 30m
Train ride 513m
Arrival 10m
El Paso (ELP) → El Paso, TX 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $74) $74

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

Stations

From DRT — Del Rio Amtrak Station 0 mi, ~30m drive
To ELP — El Paso 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

At a Glance

Drive Fly Train
Door-to-door time 8h 54m 5h 23m 10h 13m
Total cost (1 person) $163 $193 $74
Carbon footprint 213 kg CO2 112 kg CO2 31 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
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 Oct 18, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest
526 mi 8h 53m

via I 10, TX 55, US 277

Shortest (+12 min)
513.8 mi 9h 6m

via I 10; US 67, US 90, US 285

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