Drive or Fly: Laredo, TX to Lubbock, 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 LRD–LBB. At 535 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

9h 22m

Distance

535.9 mi

Total Cost

$153

CO2

217 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$118

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

3h 13m

53m in the air

Air Distance

442 mi

Total Cost

$193

CO2

113 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Laredo, TX → LRD 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 53m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

LBB → Lubbock, TX 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $138) $138

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Laredo, TX LRD — Laredo International Airport 4 mi, ~10m drive

Lubbock, TX LBB — Lubbock Preston Smith International Airport 6 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between LRD and LBB. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 6h 9m 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	9h 22m	3h 13m
Total cost (1 person)	$153	$193
Carbon footprint	217 kg CO₂	113 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

535.9 mi 9h 21m

via I 35; I 27; US 83, US 84, I 10; US 87

Shortest (+4 min)

517.1 mi 9h 25m

via US 87, US 83, TX 55

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