Drive or Fly: Buckeye, AZ to Florence, 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–AZA. At 98 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

Distance

98.7 mi

Total Cost

$57

CO2

40 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$22

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 36m

9m in the air

Air Distance

73 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

19 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Buckeye, AZ → PHX 50m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 9m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

AZA → Florence, AZ 37m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Buckeye, AZ PHX — Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport 34 mi, ~50m drive

Florence, AZ AZA — Mesa Gateway Airport 25 mi, ~37m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between PHX and AZA. 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

3h 56m

1h 30m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

Amtrak Thruway Connecting Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

Buckeye, AZ → North Phoenix Metro Center Transit Station 49m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 90m

Arrival 10m

Maricopa → Florence, AZ 57m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $8) $8

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

Stations

From North Phoenix Metro Center Transit Station 33 mi, ~49m drive

To Maricopa 38 mi, ~57m 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	2h	3h 36m	3h 56m
Total cost (1 person)	$57	$123	$8
Carbon footprint	40 kg CO₂	19 kg CO₂	2 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 12, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Buckeye, AZ to Florence, AZ with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.