Drive or Fly: Buckeye, AZ to Oro Valley, 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–TUS. At 145 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 47m

Distance

145.6 mi

Total Cost

$71

CO2

59 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$36

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 33m

14m in the air

Air Distance

116 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

30 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Buckeye, AZ → PHX 50m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 14m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

TUS → Oro Valley, AZ 29m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

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

Oro Valley, AZ TUS — Tucson International Airport 19 mi, ~29m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between PHX and TUS. 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

4h 46m

3h 25m on road

Total Cost

$13

CO2

7 kg

Route

FlixBus 2040

Door-to-Door Timeline

Buckeye, AZ → Phoenix Glendale (59th Ave / W. Hayward) (0GD) 39m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 205m

Arrival 10m

Tucson (6th Street Garage - University of Arizona, Tucson) (UOA) → Oro Valley, AZ 17m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $13) $13

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

Stations

From 0GD — Phoenix Glendale (59th Ave / W. Hayward) 26 mi, ~39m drive

To UOA — Tucson (6th Street Garage - University of Arizona, Tucson) 11 mi, ~17m 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	2h 47m	3h 33m	4h 46m
Total cost (1 person)	$71	$125	$13
Carbon footprint	59 kg CO₂	30 kg CO₂	7 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 18, 2026.

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