Drive or Fly: Cave Creek, AZ to Surprise, 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–PHX. At 31 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

50m

Distance

31.9 mi

Total Cost

$42

CO2

13 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$7

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 20m

3m in the air

Air Distance

26 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

7 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Cave Creek, AZ → PHX 42m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 3m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

PHX → Surprise, AZ 35m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

Cave Creek, AZ PHX — Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport 28 mi, ~42m drive

Surprise, AZ PHX — Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport 23 mi, ~35m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between PHX 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly
Door-to-door time	50m	3h 20m
Total cost (1 person)	$42	$121
Carbon footprint	13 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

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

31.9 mi 49m

via AZ 101 Loop, East Cave Creek Road, West Bell Road

Alternative (+4 min)

34.7 mi 54m

via East Carefree Highway, AZ 303 Loop, North El Mirage Road

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