Drive or Fly: Albuquerque, NM to Santa Fe, NM?

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 ABQ–SAF. At 63 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

1h 3m

Distance

63.2 mi

Total Cost

$49

CO2

26 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$14

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

2h 32m

7m in the air

Air Distance

58 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

15 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Albuquerque, NM → ABQ 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 7m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SAF → Santa Fe, NM 15m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

Albuquerque, NM ABQ — Albuquerque International Sunport 4 mi, ~10m drive

Santa Fe, NM SAF — Santa Fe Municipal Airport 10 mi, ~15m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ABQ and SAF. 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

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

2h 9m

30m on road

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

Greyhound US1194S

Door-to-Door Timeline

Albuquerque, NM → Albuquerque Bus Station (ABQ6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 30m

Arrival 10m

Bernalillo (Rail Runner Station) (BDL6) → Santa Fe, NM 64m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $2) $2

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

Stations

From ABQ6 — Albuquerque Bus Station 0 mi, ~10m drive

To BDL6 — Bernalillo (Rail Runner Station) 42 mi, ~64m 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	1h 3m	2h 32m	2h 9m
Total cost (1 person)	$49	$122	$2
Carbon footprint	26 kg CO₂	15 kg CO₂	1 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 Apr 12, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Albuquerque, NM to Santa Fe, NM with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.