Drive or Fly: Black Canyon City, AZ to Mesa, AZ?

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 PRC–PHX. At 62 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 15m

Distance

62.4 mi

Total Cost

$49

CO2

25 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$14

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 27m

6m in the air

Air Distance

49 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

12 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Black Canyon City, AZ → PRC 65m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 6m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

PHX → Mesa, AZ 16m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

Black Canyon City, AZ PRC — Prescott Regional Airport - Ernest A. Love Field 43 mi, ~65m drive

Mesa, AZ PHX — Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport 11 mi, ~16m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between PRC and PHX. 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

2h 20m

45m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

Amtrak Thruway Connecting Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

Black Canyon City, AZ → North Phoenix Metro Center Transit Station 45m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 45m

Arrival 10m

Tempe Amtrak Bus Stop → Mesa, AZ 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $4) $4

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

Stations

From North Phoenix Metro Center Transit Station 30 mi, ~45m drive

To Tempe Amtrak Bus Stop 7 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~2/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 2 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	1h 15m	3h 27m	2h 20m
Total cost (1 person)	$49	$122	$4
Carbon footprint	25 kg CO₂	12 kg CO₂	1 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 — 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 18, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

62.4 mi 1h 15m

via I 17, Red Mountain Freeway

Shortest (+0 min)

61.5 mi 1h 15m

via AZ 101 Loop, I 17

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Black Canyon City, AZ to Mesa, AZ with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.