Drive or Fly: Tucumcari, NM to Albuquerque, NM?

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 CVN–ABQ. At 176 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 4m

Distance

176.7 mi

Total Cost

$74

CO2

71 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$39

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

4h 5m

20m in the air

Air Distance

165 mi

Total Cost

$127

CO2

42 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Tucumcari, NM → CVN 95m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 20m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

ABQ → Albuquerque, NM 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $127) $127

Airports

Tucumcari, NM CVN — Clovis Municipal Airport 63 mi, ~95m drive

Albuquerque, NM ABQ — Albuquerque International Sunport 4 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between CVN and ABQ. 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

3h 25m

2h 40m on road

Total Cost

$18

CO2

10 kg

Route

Greyhound US1210

Door-to-Door Timeline

Tucumcari, NM → Tucumcari (McDonald's) (TCM6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 160m

Arrival 10m

Albuquerque Bus Station (ABQ6) → Albuquerque, NM 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $18) $18

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

Stations

From TCM6 — Tucumcari (McDonald's) 1 mi, ~10m drive

To ABQ6 — Albuquerque Bus Station 0 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~14/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

− Travel time longer than driving

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Bus
Door-to-door time	3h 4m	4h 5m	3h 25m
Total cost (1 person)	$74	$127	$18
Carbon footprint	71 kg CO₂	42 kg CO₂	10 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 21, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Tucumcari, NM to Albuquerque, NM with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.