Drive or Fly: Cottonwood, AZ to Phoenix, 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 GUP–PHX. At 308 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

6h 19m

Distance

308.6 mi

Total Cost

$103

CO2

125 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$68

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

4h 26m

26m in the air

Air Distance

220 mi

Total Cost

$184

CO2

56 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Cottonwood, AZ → GUP 110m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 26m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

PHX → Phoenix, AZ 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $129) $129

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Cottonwood, AZ GUP — Gallup Municipal Airport 73 mi, ~110m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between GUP 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

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

7h 57m

5h 35m on road

Total Cost

$25

CO2

13 kg

Route

Greyhound US1210

Door-to-Door Timeline

Cottonwood, AZ → Gallup (NKS Truck Stop) (GLL6) 107m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 335m

Arrival 10m

Phoenix Bus Station (PHX6) → Phoenix, AZ 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $25) $25

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

Stations

From GLL6 — Gallup (NKS Truck Stop) 71 mi, ~107m drive

To PHX6 — Phoenix Bus Station 2 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~15/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

− Travel time longer than driving

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Bus
Door-to-door time	6h 19m	4h 26m	7h 57m
Total cost (1 person)	$103	$184	$25
Carbon footprint	125 kg CO₂	56 kg CO₂	13 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 Cottonwood, AZ to Phoenix, AZ with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.