Drive or Fly: Buckeye, AZ to Bullhead City, 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 PHX–HII. At 224 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:
Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

4h 29m

Distance

224.7 mi

Total Cost

$85

CO2

91 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$50
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

4h 12m

20m in the air

Air Distance

167 mi

Total Cost

$182

CO2

43 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Buckeye, AZ → PHX 50m
Check-in & Security 90m
Flight 20m
Arrival & Baggage 30m
HII → Bullhead City, AZ 62m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $127) $127
Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Buckeye, AZ PHX — Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport 34 mi, ~50m drive
Bullhead City, AZ HII — Lake Havasu City Airport 42 mi, ~62m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between PHX and HII. 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

4h 51m

3h 5m on road

Total Cost

$17

CO2

9 kg

Route

FlixBus 2040

Door-to-Door Timeline

Buckeye, AZ → Phoenix Glendale (59th Ave / W. Hayward) (0GD) 39m
Boarding 15m
Bus ride 185m
Arrival 10m
Kingman (North) (UKN) → Bullhead City, AZ 42m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $17) $17

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

Stations

From 0GD — Phoenix Glendale (59th Ave / W. Hayward) 26 mi, ~39m drive
To UKN — Kingman (North) 28 mi, ~42m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~6/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 6 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 4h 29m 4h 12m 4h 51m
Total cost (1 person) $85 $182 $17
Carbon footprint 91 kg CO2 43 kg CO2 9 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 Buckeye, AZ to Bullhead City, AZ with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.