Drive or Fly: Dallas, TX to Little Elm, 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–ACT. At 112 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

2h 23m

Distance

112.4 mi

Total Cost

$60

CO2

45 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$25

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 11m

11m in the air

Air Distance

93 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

24 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Dallas, TX → DAL 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 11m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

ACT → Little Elm, TX 50m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

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

Little Elm, TX ACT — Waco Regional Airport 33 mi, ~50m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between DAL and ACT. 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

5h 34m

3h 42m on rail

Total Cost

$20

CO2

6 kg

Route

Texas Eagle

Door-to-Door Timeline

Dallas, TX → Dallas 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 222m

Arrival 10m

Mcgregor Amtrak → Little Elm, TX 62m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $20) $20

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

Stations

From Dallas 0 mi, ~10m drive

To Mcgregor Amtrak 41 mi, ~62m 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 48m

1h 35m on road

Total Cost

$10

CO2

5 kg

Route

FlixBus 2242

Door-to-Door Timeline

Dallas, TX → Downtown Dallas / Deep Ellum (2DA) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 95m

Arrival 10m

Waco (2WS) → Little Elm, TX 38m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $10) $10

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

Stations

From 2DA — Downtown Dallas / Deep Ellum 1 mi, ~10m drive

To 2WS — Waco 26 mi, ~38m 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	2h 23m	3h 11m	5h 34m	2h 48m
Total cost (1 person)	$60	$124	$20	$10
Carbon footprint	45 kg CO₂	24 kg CO₂	6 kg CO₂	5 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 12, 2026.

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