Drive or Fly: Marfa, TX to Plano, 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–DAL. At 544 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

9h 48m

Distance

544.9 mi

Total Cost

$138

CO2

220 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$103

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 49m

56m in the air

Air Distance

469 mi

Total Cost

$194

CO2

120 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Marfa, TX → CNM 211m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 56m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DAL → Plano, TX 22m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $139) $139

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

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

Plano, TX DAL — Dallas Love Field 15 mi, ~22m drive

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Saves about 2h 59m 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

20h 8m

18h 28m on rail

Total Cost

$87

CO2

32 kg

Route

Texas Eagle

Door-to-Door Timeline

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

Boarding 30m

Train ride 1108m

Arrival 10m

Dallas (DAL) → Plano, TX 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $87) $87

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

Stations

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

To DAL — Dallas 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 48m	6h 49m	20h 8m
Total cost (1 person)	$138	$194	$87
Carbon footprint	220 kg CO₂	120 kg CO₂	32 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 Plano, TX with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.