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

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

Driving wins

Medium

Driving is significantly cheaper and the distance is manageable in one day.

Passengers:
Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

8h

Distance

441.2 mi

Total Cost

$118

CO2

178 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$83
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

5h 4m

42m in the air

Air Distance

348 mi

Total Cost

$189

CO2

89 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Wellington, TX → AMA 132m
Check-in & Security 90m
Flight 42m
Arrival & Baggage 30m
AUS → Austin, TX 10m

Cost Breakdown

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

Airports

Wellington, TX AMA — Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport 88 mi, ~132m drive
Austin, TX AUS — Austin Bergstrom International Airport 7 mi, ~10m drive

Flight Data

Service

Connecting only

On-Time

100.0%

+ Saves about 2h 56m 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 8h 5h 4m
Total cost (1 person) $118 $189
Carbon footprint 178 kg CO2 89 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 Jul 20, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest
441.2 mi 8h 0m

via US 82; US 287, I 35, I 35W

Shortest (+9 min)
404.6 mi 8h 9m

via US 83, US 183, US 83; US 84

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