Drive or Fly: Alton, 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 MFE–FTW. At 489 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

9h 2m

Distance

489.9 mi

Total Cost

$144

CO2

198 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$109

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

3h 18m

54m in the air

Air Distance

449 mi

Total Cost

$193

CO2

114 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Alton, TX → MFE 14m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 54m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

FTW → Fort Worth, TX 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $138) $138

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Alton, TX MFE — McAllen Miller International Airport 9 mi, ~14m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MFE and FTW. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 5h 44m compared to driving

+ 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly
Door-to-door time	9h 2m	3h 18m
Total cost (1 person)	$144	$193
Carbon footprint	198 kg CO₂	114 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

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 Alton, TX to Fort Worth, TX with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.