Drive or Fly: Arlington, TX to Austin, 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 DFW–AUS. At 198 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

3h 35m

Distance

198.7 mi

Total Cost

$79

CO2

80 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$44

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 49m

21m in the air

Air Distance

175 mi

Total Cost

$127

CO2

45 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Arlington, TX → DFW 18m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 21m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

AUS → Austin, TX 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $127) $127

Airports

Arlington, TX DFW — Dallas Fort Worth International Airport 12 mi, ~18m drive

Austin, TX AUS — Austin Bergstrom International Airport 7 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between DFW and AUS. 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

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

5h 48m

4h 39m on rail

Total Cost

$35

CO2

10 kg

Route

Texas Eagle

Door-to-Door Timeline

Arlington, TX → Fort Worth 19m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 279m

Arrival 10m

Austin → Austin, TX 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $35) $35

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

Stations

From Fort Worth 13 mi, ~19m drive

To Austin 1 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~10/week

+ Spacious seating with legroom and power outlets

+ Walk around freely during the trip

+ No driving fatigue — relax or work en route

+ Much lower carbon footprint than driving or flying

− Limited schedule — about 10 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

5h 34m

4h 40m on road

Total Cost

$21

CO2

11 kg

Route

FlixBus 2230

Door-to-Door Timeline

Arlington, TX → Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (2DF) 19m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 280m

Arrival 10m

Downtown Austin (9th St) (2AS) → Austin, TX 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $21) $21

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

Stations

From 2DF — Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport 13 mi, ~19m drive

To 2AS — Downtown Austin (9th St) 1 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	3h 35m	2h 49m	5h 48m	5h 34m
Total cost (1 person)	$79	$127	$35	$21
Carbon footprint	80 kg CO₂	45 kg CO₂	10 kg CO₂	11 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 Arlington, TX to Austin, TX with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.