Drive or Fly: Big Spring, TX to Amarillo, 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 MAF–AMA. At 227 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:
Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

3h 57m

Distance

227.8 mi

Total Cost

$86

CO2

92 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$51
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

3h 47m

25m in the air

Air Distance

206 mi

Total Cost

$183

CO2

53 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Big Spring, TX → MAF 71m
Check-in & Security 90m
Flight 25m
Arrival & Baggage 30m
AMA → Amarillo, TX 11m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $128) $128
Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Big Spring, TX MAF — Midland International Air and Space Port 47 mi, ~71m drive
Amarillo, TX AMA — Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport 7 mi, ~11m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MAF and AMA. 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
May need a rental car at destination
Luggage fees and restrictions
Less flexibility for stops along the way

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

5h 10m

4h 25m on road

Total Cost

$23

CO2

12 kg

Route

Greyhound US1184s

Door-to-Door Timeline

Big Spring, TX → Big Spring (Shell) (BST6) 10m
Boarding 15m
Bus ride 265m
Arrival 10m
Amarillo Multimodal Transfer Sta (AMR6) → Amarillo, TX 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $23) $23

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

Stations

From BST6 — Big Spring (Shell) 3 mi, ~10m drive
To AMR6 — Amarillo Multimodal Transfer Sta 2 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 Bus
Door-to-door time 3h 57m 3h 47m 5h 10m
Total cost (1 person) $86 $183 $23
Carbon footprint 92 kg CO2 53 kg CO2 12 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 12, 2026.

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