Drive or Fly: Mansfield, TX to San Antonio, 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 FTW–SAT. At 258 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

4h 45m

Distance

258.4 mi

Total Cost

$84

CO2

104 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$49

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

+ Likely faster door-to-door than flying

− Wear and tear on vehicle

− Fuel price fluctuations

Plan the drive

Fly

Door to Door

3h 13m

28m in the air

Air Distance

231 mi

Total Cost

$184

CO2

59 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Mansfield, TX → FTW 33m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 28m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SAT → San Antonio, TX 12m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $129) $129

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Mansfield, TX FTW — Fort Worth Meacham International Airport 22 mi, ~33m drive

San Antonio, TX SAT — San Antonio International Airport 8 mi, ~12m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between FTW and SAT. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ 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

9h 58m

8h 18m on rail

Total Cost

$48

CO2

15 kg

Route

Texas Eagle

Door-to-Door Timeline

Mansfield, TX → Fort Worth (FTW) 30m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 498m

Arrival 10m

San Antonio Amtrak Station (SAS) → San Antonio, TX 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $48) $48

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

Stations

From FTW — Fort Worth 0 mi, ~30m drive

To SAS — San Antonio Amtrak Station 0 mi, ~30m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~4/week

+ Spacious seating with legroom and power outlets

+ Walk around freely during the trip

+ No driving fatigue — relax or work en route

+ Much lower carbon footprint than driving or flying

− Limited schedule — about 4 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

9h 30m

8h 5m on road

Total Cost

$27

CO2

15 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Mansfield, TX → Arlington (7-Eleven) (ART6) 30m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 485m

Arrival 10m

San Antonio Bus Station (SNT6) → San Antonio, TX 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $27) $27

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

Stations

From ART6 — Arlington (7-Eleven) 0 mi, ~30m drive

To SNT6 — San Antonio Bus Station 0 mi, ~30m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~7/week

+ Usually the cheapest option

+ Wi-Fi and power outlets on board

+ No driving fatigue — relax or work en route

+ Much lower carbon footprint than driving or flying

− Limited schedule — about 7 trips per week

− Travel time longer than driving

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train	Bus
Door-to-door time	4h 45m	3h 13m	9h 58m	9h 30m
Total cost (1 person)	$84	$184	$48	$27
Carbon footprint	104 kg CO₂	59 kg CO₂	15 kg CO₂	15 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, FlixBus 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 Jul 21, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

258.4 mi 4h 44m

via I 35, I 35W, I 35; US 290

Alternative (+34 min)

262.3 mi 5h 19m

via US 281, US 67, US 281 Bus

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