Drive or Fly: Anthony, TX to San Antonio, 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 ELP–SAT. At 572 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:
Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

9h 20m

Distance

572.2 mi

Total Cost

$162

CO2

231 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$127
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
Driver fatigue on longer stretches
Wear and tear on vehicle
Fuel price fluctuations
Plan the drive

Fly

Door to Door

3h 42m

1h 2m in the air

Air Distance

513 mi

Total Cost

$196

CO2

131 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Anthony, TX → ELP 28m
Check-in & Security 90m
Flight 62m
Arrival & Baggage 30m
SAT → San Antonio, TX 12m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $141) $141
Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Anthony, TX ELP — El Paso International Airport 19 mi, ~28m drive
San Antonio, TX SAT — San Antonio International Airport 8 mi, ~12m drive

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Saves about 5h 38m 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

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

13h 32m

12h 15m on rail

Total Cost

$101

CO2

29 kg

Route

Texas Eagle

Door-to-Door Timeline

Anthony, TX → El Paso 27m
Boarding 30m
Train ride 735m
Arrival 10m
San Antonio Amtrak Station → San Antonio, TX 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $101) $101

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

Stations

From El Paso 18 mi, ~27m drive
To San Antonio Amtrak Station 1 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~4/week

+ Spacious seating with legroom and power outlets
+ Walk around freely during the trip
+ Scenic views along the route
+ No driving fatigue — relax or work en route
+ Much lower carbon footprint than driving or flying
Limited schedule — about 4 trips per week
Amtrak delays can be unpredictable
Need transportation to/from station
Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

11h 42m

10h 40m on road

Total Cost

$55

CO2

29 kg

Route

Greyhound US1001

Door-to-Door Timeline

Anthony, TX → El Paso Bus Station (W San Antonio St) (ELP6) 27m
Boarding 15m
Bus ride 640m
Arrival 10m
San Antonio Bus Station (SNT6) → San Antonio, TX 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $55) $55

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

Stations

From ELP6 — El Paso Bus Station (W San Antonio St) 18 mi, ~27m drive
To SNT6 — San Antonio Bus Station 0 mi, ~10m 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 Train Bus
Door-to-door time 9h 20m 3h 42m 13h 32m 11h 42m
Total cost (1 person) $162 $196 $101 $55
Carbon footprint 231 kg CO2 131 kg CO2 29 kg CO2 29 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: Amtrak GTFS, 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 Anthony, TX to San Antonio, TX with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.