Skip to main content
US Trip Planner Logo
US Trip Planner

Drive or Fly: Sundown, TX to Austin, TX?

Side-by-side comparison of driving versus flying for this route. Costs, time, and trade-offs at a glance.

Could go either way

Medium

This distance is a toss-up. Drive if you want flexibility and lower cost, fly if you value time. Connecting flights add time.

Passengers:
Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

7h 29m

Distance

411.3 mi

Total Cost

$137

CO2

166 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$102
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 55m

43m in the air

Air Distance

355 mi

Total Cost

$189

CO2

91 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Sundown, TX → LBB 62m
Check-in & Security 90m
Flight 43m
Arrival & Baggage 30m
AUS → Austin, TX 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $134) $134
Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Sundown, TX LBB — Lubbock Preston Smith International Airport 41 mi, ~62m drive
Austin, TX AUS — Austin Bergstrom International Airport 7 mi, ~10m drive

Flight Data

Service

Connecting only

On-Time

100.0%

+ Saves about 3h 34m compared to driving
+ Less physical fatigue
+ Predictable arrival time
− Airport security and check-in overhead
− May need a rental car at destination
− Luggage fees and restrictions
− Less flexibility for stops along the way

At a Glance

Drive Fly
Door-to-door time 7h 29m 3h 55m
Total cost (1 person) $137 $189
Carbon footprint 166 kg CO2 91 kg CO2
Flexibility High Low
Luggage Unlimited Restricted
Reliability Weather dependent 100% on-time
Drive data: OSRM routing, EIA fuel prices
Flight data: Statistical estimate
Airports: OurAirports
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
411.3 mi 7h 29m

via US 84, TX 153, US 183

Shortest (+18 min)
403.2 mi 7h 47m

via US 87, TX 71, TX 137

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