Drive or Fly: Wink, TX to Arlington, 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

Distance

401.1 mi

Total Cost

$111

CO2

162 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

4h 28m

43m in the air

Air Distance

360 mi

Total Cost

$189

CO2

92 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Wink, TX → MAF 87m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 43m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DFW → Arlington, TX 18m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $134) $134

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Wink, TX MAF — Midland International Air and Space Port 58 mi, ~87m drive

Arlington, TX DFW — Dallas Fort Worth International Airport 12 mi, ~18m drive

Flight Data

Service

Connecting only

On-Time

96.4%

Cancellation

3.6%

+ Saves about 2h 32m 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

9h 20m

7h 55m on road

Total Cost

$42

CO2

23 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Wink, TX → Pecos (Stripes) (PEC6) 30m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 475m

Arrival 10m

Arlington (7-Eleven) (ART6) → Arlington, TX 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $42) $42

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

Stations

From PEC6 — Pecos (Stripes) 0 mi, ~30m drive

To ART6 — Arlington (7-Eleven) 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	7h	4h 28m	9h 20m
Total cost (1 person)	$111	$189	$42
Carbon footprint	162 kg CO₂	92 kg CO₂	23 kg CO₂
Flexibility	High	Low
Luggage	Unlimited	Restricted
Reliability	Weather dependent	96% on-time

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 19, 2026.

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