Drive or Fly: Buffalo, TX to San Antonio, 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 ABI–SAT. At 195 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 59m

Distance

195.6 mi

Total Cost

$78

CO2

79 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$43

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 49m

20m in the air

Air Distance

169 mi

Total Cost

$127

CO2

43 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Buffalo, TX → ABI 77m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 20m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SAT → San Antonio, TX 12m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $127) $127

Airports

Buffalo, TX ABI — Abilene Regional Airport 51 mi, ~77m drive

San Antonio, TX SAT — San Antonio International Airport 8 mi, ~12m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ABI and SAT. 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

5h 6m

3h 20m on road

Total Cost

$14

CO2

7 kg

Route

Greyhound US1184s

Door-to-Door Timeline

Buffalo, TX → Brady (Stripes) (BDR6) 71m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 200m

Arrival 10m

San Antonio Bus Station (SNT6) → San Antonio, TX 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $14) $14

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

Stations

From BDR6 — Brady (Stripes) 47 mi, ~71m drive

To SNT6 — San Antonio Bus Station 0 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 59m	3h 49m	5h 6m
Total cost (1 person)	$78	$127	$14
Carbon footprint	79 kg CO₂	43 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.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

195.6 mi 3h 59m

via US 87, US 283, I 10; US 87

Alternative (+21 min)

209.8 mi 4h 20m

via US 281, US 84; US 183, US 183; TX 16

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Buffalo, TX to San Antonio, TX with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.