Drive or Fly: Stafford, TX to San Antonio, 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–SAT. At 192 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 27m

Distance

192.8 mi

Total Cost

$78

CO2

78 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$43

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

21m in the air

Air Distance

177 mi

Total Cost

$127

CO2

45 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Stafford, TX → HOU 26m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 21m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SAT → San Antonio, TX 12m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $127) $127

Airports

Stafford, TX HOU — William P. Hobby Airport 17 mi, ~26m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Less physical fatigue

+ Predictable arrival time

− Airport security and check-in overhead

− No scheduled commercial flights found for this route

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

6h 50m

5h 10m on rail

Total Cost

$38

CO2

11 kg

Route

Sunset Limited

Door-to-Door Timeline

Stafford, TX → Houston 30m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 310m

Arrival 10m

San Antonio Amtrak Station → San Antonio, TX 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $38) $38

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

Stations

From Houston 0 mi, ~30m drive

To San Antonio Amtrak Station 0 mi, ~30m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~2/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 2 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

5h 10m

3h 45m on road

Total Cost

$20

CO2

11 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Stafford, TX → Houston (Agencia Autobuses) (HOS6) 30m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 225m

Arrival 10m

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

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $20) $20

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

Stations

From HOS6 — Houston (Agencia Autobuses) 0 mi, ~30m drive

To SNT6 — San Antonio Bus Station 0 mi, ~30m 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	3h 27m	2h 59m	6h 50m	5h 10m
Total cost (1 person)	$78	$127	$38	$20
Carbon footprint	78 kg CO₂	45 kg CO₂	11 kg CO₂	11 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 19, 2026.

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