Drive or Fly: Livingston, TX to Amarillo, 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

10h 17m

Distance

578.3 mi

Total Cost

$289

CO2

234 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$109

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 36m

1h 1m in the air

Air Distance

507 mi

Total Cost

$195

CO2

129 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Livingston, TX → IAH 84m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 61m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

AMA → Amarillo, TX 11m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $140) $140

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Livingston, TX IAH — George Bush Intercontinental Airport 56 mi, ~84m drive

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

Flight Data

Service

Connecting only

On-Time

95.5%

Cancellation

4.6%

+ Saves about 5h 41m 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	10h 17m	4h 36m
Total cost (1 person)	$289	$195
Carbon footprint	234 kg CO₂	129 kg CO₂
Flexibility	High	Low
Luggage	Unlimited	Restricted
Reliability	Weather dependent	95% 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 Jul 21, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

578.3 mi 10h 16m

via US 287, US 190, US 81; US 287

Alternative (+90 min)

675.7 mi 11h 47m

via I 40, US 190, I 35; US 77

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