Drive or Fly: San Antonio, TX to Canyon, 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–AMA. At 489 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

8h 33m

Distance

489.8 mi

Total Cost

$156

CO2

198 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$121

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

− Driver fatigue on longer stretches

− Wear and tear on vehicle

− Fuel price fluctuations

Plan the drive

Fly

Door to Door

3h 34m

52m in the air

Air Distance

433 mi

Total Cost

$192

CO2

110 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

San Antonio, TX → SAT 12m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 52m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

AMA → Canyon, TX 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $137) $137

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

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

Canyon, TX AMA — Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport 20 mi, ~30m drive

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Saves about 4h 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

12h 54m

11h 29m on road

Total Cost

$49

CO2

28 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

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

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 689m

Arrival 10m

Amarillo Multimodal Transfer Sta (AMR6) → Canyon, TX 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $49) $49

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

Stations

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

To AMR6 — Amarillo Multimodal Transfer Sta 0 mi, ~30m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~6/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 6 trips per week

− Travel time longer than driving

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Bus
Door-to-door time	8h 33m	3h 34m	12h 54m
Total cost (1 person)	$156	$192	$49
Carbon footprint	198 kg CO₂	110 kg CO₂	28 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: 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 Oct 23, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

489.8 mi 8h 32m

via I 10; US 87, US 84, I 27; US 87

Alternative (+17 min)

512.4 mi 8h 50m

via US 87, I 10; US 87, I 27; US 87

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