Drive or Fly: Marfa, TX to Arlington, 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 CNM–DFW. At 510 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

9h 15m

Distance

510.6 mi

Total Cost

$131

CO2

206 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$96

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

6h 42m

53m in the air

Air Distance

440 mi

Total Cost

$193

CO2

112 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Marfa, TX → CNM 211m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 53m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DFW → Arlington, TX 18m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $138) $138

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Marfa, TX CNM — Cavern City Air Terminal 141 mi, ~211m drive

Arlington, TX DFW — Dallas Fort Worth International Airport 12 mi, ~18m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between CNM and DFW. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 2h 33m 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

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

18h 42m

17h 2m on rail

Total Cost

$82

CO2

30 kg

Route

Texas Eagle

Door-to-Door Timeline

Marfa, TX → Alpine Amtrak Station (ALP) 30m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 1022m

Arrival 10m

Fort Worth (FTW) → Arlington, TX 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $82) $82

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

Stations

From ALP — Alpine Amtrak Station 0 mi, ~30m drive

To FTW — Fort Worth 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	9h 15m	6h 42m	18h 42m
Total cost (1 person)	$131	$193	$82
Carbon footprint	206 kg CO₂	112 kg CO₂	30 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 — 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 20, 2026.

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