Drive or Fly: Val Verde Park, TX to Fort Worth, 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 SJT–FTW. At 402 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

7h 17m

Distance

402.7 mi

Total Cost

$111

CO2

163 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$76

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

6h 15m

37m in the air

Air Distance

311 mi

Total Cost

$187

CO2

79 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Val Verde Park, TX → SJT 208m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 37m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

FTW → Fort Worth, TX 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $132) $132

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Val Verde Park, TX SJT — San Angelo Regional Mathis Field 139 mi, ~208m drive

Fort Worth, TX FTW — Fort Worth Meacham International Airport 7 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between SJT and FTW. 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

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

14h 25m

12h 45m on rail

Total Cost

$63

CO2

23 kg

Route

Texas Eagle

Door-to-Door Timeline

Val Verde Park, TX → Del Rio Amtrak Station (DRT) 30m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 765m

Arrival 10m

Fort Worth (FTW) → Fort Worth, TX 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $63) $63

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

Stations

From DRT — Del Rio Amtrak Station 0 mi, ~30m drive

To FTW — Fort Worth 0 mi, ~30m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~3/week

+ Spacious seating with legroom and power outlets

+ Walk around freely during the trip

+ Scenic views along the route

+ No driving fatigue — relax or work en route

+ Much lower carbon footprint than driving or flying

− Limited schedule — about 3 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	7h 17m	6h 15m	14h 25m
Total cost (1 person)	$111	$187	$63
Carbon footprint	163 kg CO₂	79 kg CO₂	23 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 — 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 21, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

402.7 mi 7h 16m

via US 277, I 20, US 277; US 377

Alternative (+18 min)

412.9 mi 7h 35m

via US 90, I 35; US 290, I 35

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Val Verde Park, TX to Fort Worth, TX with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.