Drive or Fly: South Houston, TX to Laredo, 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 HOU–LRD. At 321 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

6h 18m

Distance

321.6 mi

Total Cost

$106

CO2

130 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$71

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 56m

36m in the air

Air Distance

299 mi

Total Cost

$187

CO2

76 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

South Houston, TX → HOU 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 36m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

LRD → Laredo, TX 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $132) $132

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

South Houston, TX HOU — William P. Hobby Airport 3 mi, ~10m drive

Laredo, TX LRD — Laredo International Airport 4 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between HOU and LRD. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 3h 22m 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

7h 40m

6h 55m on road

Total Cost

$33

CO2

17 kg

Route

Greyhound US1112

Door-to-Door Timeline

South Houston, TX → Houston Bus Station (Greyhound) (HOU6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 415m

Arrival 10m

Laredo Bus Station (LRO6) → Laredo, TX 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $33) $33

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

Stations

From HOU6 — Houston Bus Station (Greyhound) 6 mi, ~10m drive

To LRO6 — Laredo Bus Station 0 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	Bus
Door-to-door time	6h 18m	2h 56m	7h 40m
Total cost (1 person)	$106	$187	$33
Carbon footprint	130 kg CO₂	76 kg CO₂	17 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 Apr 19, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

321.6 mi 6h 17m

via US 59, US 59; TX 44, I 69; US 59

Alternative (+1 min)

361.9 mi 6h 18m

via I 10; US 90, I 35, I 10; US 90; TX 130

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