Drive or Fly: Amarillo, TX to Brownsville, TX?

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

Driving wins

Medium

No direct flights for AMA–BRO. Driving is the practical choice at this distance.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

13h 48m

Distance

783.1 mi

Total Cost

$354

CO2

316 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$174

Hotel (1 room, 1 night) $110

Meals (1 pax, 2 days) $70

+ No luggage restrictions or TSA lines

+ Stop anywhere along the route

+ Have your own car at the destination

− Requires 2 days of driving

− Driver fatigue on longer stretches

− Wear and tear on vehicle

− Fuel price fluctuations

Plan the drive

Fly

Door to Door

3h 44m

1h 23m in the air

Air Distance

693 mi

Total Cost

$290

CO2

177 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Amarillo, TX → AMA 11m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 83m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BRO → Brownsville, TX 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $235) $235

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Amarillo, TX AMA — Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport 7 mi, ~11m drive

Brownsville, TX BRO — Brownsville South Padre Island International Airport 5 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between AMA and BRO. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 10h 4m 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	13h 48m	3h 44m
Total cost (1 person)	$354	$290
Carbon footprint	316 kg CO₂	177 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 Amarillo, TX to Brownsville, TX with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.