Drive or Fly: Corpus Christi, TX to San Marcos, 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 CRP–AUS. At 186 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 16m

Distance

186.6 mi

Total Cost

$76

CO2

75 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$41

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 9m

18m in the air

Air Distance

148 mi

Total Cost

$126

CO2

38 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Corpus Christi, TX → CRP 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 18m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

AUS → San Marcos, TX 41m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Airports

Corpus Christi, TX CRP — Corpus Christi International Airport 7 mi, ~10m drive

San Marcos, TX AUS — Austin Bergstrom International Airport 27 mi, ~41m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between CRP and AUS. 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 10m

4h 25m on road

Total Cost

$16

CO2

9 kg

Route

FlixBus US1164

Door-to-Door Timeline

Corpus Christi, TX → Corpus Christi Bus Station (CCT6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 265m

Arrival 10m

San Marcos (CARTS) (SMT6) → San Marcos, TX 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $16) $16

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

Stations

From CCT6 — Corpus Christi Bus Station 1 mi, ~10m drive

To SMT6 — San Marcos (CARTS) 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 16m	3h 9m	5h 10m
Total cost (1 person)	$76	$126	$16
Carbon footprint	75 kg CO₂	38 kg CO₂	9 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

186.6 mi 3h 15m

via I 37, I 35, I 410; TX 130

Shortest (+10 min)

175.6 mi 3h 26m

via US 181, TX 80, TX 80; TX 97

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