Drive or Fly: Dallas, TX to Grapevine, 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 DAL–DFW. At 21 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

25m

Distance

21 mi

Total Cost

$40

CO2

8 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$5

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 22m

2m in the air

Air Distance

19 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

5 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Dallas, TX → DAL 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 2m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DFW → Grapevine, TX 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

Dallas, TX DAL — Dallas Love Field 5 mi, ~10m drive

Grapevine, TX DFW — Dallas Fort Worth International Airport 4 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between DAL and DFW. 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

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

2h 47m

1h 7m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

Texas Eagle

Door-to-Door Timeline

Dallas, TX → Dallas 30m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 67m

Arrival 10m

Fort Worth → Grapevine, TX 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $6) $6

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

Stations

From Dallas 0 mi, ~30m drive

To Fort Worth 0 mi, ~30m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~6/week

+ Spacious seating with legroom and power outlets

+ Walk around freely during the trip

+ No driving fatigue — relax or work en route

+ Much lower carbon footprint than driving or flying

− Limited schedule — about 6 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

2h 5m

40m on road

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Dallas, TX → Downtown Dallas / Deep Ellum (2DA) 30m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 40m

Arrival 10m

Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (2DF) → Grapevine, TX 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $2) $2

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

Stations

From 2DA — Downtown Dallas / Deep Ellum 0 mi, ~30m drive

To 2DF — Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport 0 mi, ~30m 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	Train	Bus
Door-to-door time	25m	2h 22m	2h 47m	2h 5m
Total cost (1 person)	$40	$121	$6	$2
Carbon footprint	8 kg CO₂	5 kg CO₂	1 kg CO₂	1 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: Amtrak GTFS, 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

21 mi 25m

via TX 114 TEXpress, I 35E

Alternative (+4 min)

21.4 mi 29m

via I 35E, TX 114 TEXpress, Loop 12

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