Drive or Fly: Amarillo, TX to El Paso, 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 AMA–ELP. At 417 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

8h 17m

Distance

417.8 mi

Total Cost

$127

CO2

169 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$92

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 5m

43m in the air

Air Distance

359 mi

Total Cost

$189

CO2

92 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Amarillo, TX → AMA 11m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 43m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

ELP → El Paso, TX 11m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $134) $134

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

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

El Paso, TX ELP — El Paso International Airport 7 mi, ~11m drive

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Saves about 5h 12m 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

10h 50m

9h 25m on road

Total Cost

$39

CO2

24 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Amarillo, TX → Amarillo Multimodal Transfer Sta (AMR6) 30m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 565m

Arrival 10m

El Paso Bus Station (W San Antonio St) (ELP6) → El Paso, TX 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $39) $39

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

Stations

From AMR6 — Amarillo Multimodal Transfer Sta 0 mi, ~30m drive

To ELP6 — El Paso Bus Station (W San Antonio St) 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	8h 17m	3h 5m	10h 50m
Total cost (1 person)	$127	$189	$39
Carbon footprint	169 kg CO₂	92 kg CO₂	24 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 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

417.8 mi 8h 17m

via US 70, US 70; US 380, US 60

Alternative (+11 min)

447.1 mi 8h 28m

via US 62; US 180, US 70; TX 214, US 60

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