Drive or Fly: Tulia, 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 AMA–SAT. At 457 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

8h 2m

Distance

457.8 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

185 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$86

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

4h 11m

48m in the air

Air Distance

402 mi

Total Cost

$191

CO2

102 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Tulia, TX → AMA 71m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 48m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SAT → San Antonio, TX 12m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $136) $136

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Tulia, TX AMA — Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport 47 mi, ~71m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Saves about 3h 51m 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

11h 30m

10h 5m on road

Total Cost

$42

CO2

27 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Tulia, TX → Plainview (Stripes) (PIV6) 30m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 605m

Arrival 10m

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

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $42) $42

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

Stations

From PIV6 — Plainview (Stripes) 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	Bus
Door-to-door time	8h 2m	4h 11m	11h 30m
Total cost (1 person)	$121	$191	$42
Carbon footprint	185 kg CO₂	102 kg CO₂	27 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 Jul 20, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

457.8 mi 8h 1m

via US 83, US 84, I 27

Alternative (+17 min)

480.5 mi 8h 19m

via US 87, US 83, I 27

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