Skip to main content

Drive or Fly: Willcox, AZ to Yuma, AZ?

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 TUS–YUM. At 321 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:
Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

5h 33m

Distance

321 mi

Total Cost

$114

CO2

130 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$79
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 22m

34m in the air

Air Distance

281 mi

Total Cost

$186

CO2

72 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Willcox, AZ → TUS 98m
Check-in & Security 90m
Flight 34m
Arrival & Baggage 30m
YUM → Yuma, AZ 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $131) $131
Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Willcox, AZ TUS — Tucson International Airport 65 mi, ~98m drive
Yuma, AZ YUM — Yuma International Airport / Marine Corps Air Station Yuma 5 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between TUS and YUM. 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

7h 51m

6h 11m on rail

Total Cost

$51

CO2

19 kg

Route

Texas Eagle

Door-to-Door Timeline

Willcox, AZ → Benson Amtrak (BEN) 30m
Boarding 30m
Train ride 371m
Arrival 10m
Yuma Amtrak (YUM) → Yuma, AZ 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $51) $51

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

Stations

From BEN — Benson Amtrak 0 mi, ~30m drive
To YUM — Yuma Amtrak 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 5h 33m 4h 22m 7h 51m
Total cost (1 person) $114 $186 $51
Carbon footprint 130 kg CO2 72 kg CO2 19 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 Oct 23, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Willcox, AZ to Yuma, AZ with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.