Drive or Fly: Austin, TX to Wellington, 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 AUS–AMA. At 441 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

7h 58m

Distance

441.1 mi

Total Cost

$132

CO2

178 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$97

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

5h 4m

42m in the air

Air Distance

348 mi

Total Cost

$189

CO2

89 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Austin, TX → AUS 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 42m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

AMA → Wellington, TX 132m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $134) $134

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

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

Wellington, TX AMA — Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport 88 mi, ~132m drive

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Saves about 2h 54m 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	7h 58m	5h 4m
Total cost (1 person)	$132	$189
Carbon footprint	178 kg CO₂	89 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 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

441.1 mi 7h 58m

via US 81; US 287, US 287, I 35; US 290

Shortest (+12 min)

405.5 mi 8h 10m

via US 83, US 183, US 183; US 190

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