Drive or Fly: Corona de Tucson, AZ to Tempe Junction, 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 TUS–PHX. At 131 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 27m

Distance

131 mi

Total Cost

$64

CO2

53 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$29

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

2h 46m

15m in the air

Air Distance

121 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

31 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Corona de Tucson, AZ → TUS 21m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 15m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

PHX → Tempe Junction, AZ 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

Corona de Tucson, AZ TUS — Tucson International Airport 14 mi, ~21m drive

Tempe Junction, AZ PHX — Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport 4 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between TUS 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

3h 23m

2h 20m on road

Total Cost

$11

CO2

6 kg

Route

FlixBus 2042

Door-to-Door Timeline

Corona de Tucson, AZ → Tucson (East) (0TE) 28m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 140m

Arrival 10m

Tempe (University Dr/Rural Rd) (UTP) → Tempe Junction, AZ 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $11) $11

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

Stations

From 0TE — Tucson (East) 19 mi, ~28m drive

To UTP — Tempe (University Dr/Rural Rd) 1 mi, ~10m 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 27m	2h 46m	3h 23m
Total cost (1 person)	$64	$125	$11
Carbon footprint	53 kg CO₂	31 kg CO₂	6 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 15, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Corona de Tucson, AZ to Tempe Junction, AZ with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.