Drive or Fly: San Antonio, 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 SAT–DFW. At 276 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

5h 2m

Distance

276.9 mi

Total Cost

$96

CO2

112 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$61

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

2h 59m

29m in the air

Air Distance

243 mi

Total Cost

$185

CO2

62 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

San Antonio, TX → SAT 12m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 29m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DFW → Arlington, TX 18m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $130) $130

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

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

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

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Saves about 2h 3m 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

8h 18m

7h 9m on rail

Total Cost

$48

CO2

14 kg

Route

Texas Eagle

Door-to-Door Timeline

San Antonio, TX → San Antonio Amtrak Station 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 429m

Arrival 10m

Fort Worth → Arlington, TX 19m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $48) $48

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

Stations

From San Antonio Amtrak Station 1 mi, ~10m drive

To Fort Worth 13 mi, ~19m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~9/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 9 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

9h 10m

8h 25m on road

Total Cost

$27

CO2

14 kg

Route

Greyhound US1159S

Door-to-Door Timeline

San Antonio, TX → San Antonio Bus Station (SNT6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 505m

Arrival 10m

Arlington (7-Eleven) (ART6) → Arlington, TX 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $27) $27

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

Stations

From SNT6 — San Antonio Bus Station 0 mi, ~10m drive

To ART6 — Arlington (7-Eleven) 1 mi, ~10m 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	5h 2m	2h 59m	8h 18m	9h 10m
Total cost (1 person)	$96	$185	$48	$27
Carbon footprint	112 kg CO₂	62 kg CO₂	14 kg CO₂	14 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 Apr 21, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

276.9 mi 5h 2m

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

Alternative (+32 min)

281 mi 5h 35m

via US 281, US 67, CTP

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