Drive or Fly: Denton, TX to McKinney, 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 DFW–DAL. At 32 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:
Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

51m

Distance

32.9 mi

Total Cost

$42

CO2

13 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$7
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 20m

4m in the air

Air Distance

30 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

8 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Denton, TX → DFW 34m
Check-in & Security 90m
Flight 4m
Arrival & Baggage 30m
DAL → McKinney, TX 42m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

Denton, TX DFW — Dallas Fort Worth International Airport 23 mi, ~34m drive
McKinney, TX DAL — Dallas Love Field 28 mi, ~42m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between DFW and DAL. 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

At a Glance

Drive Fly
Door-to-door time 51m 3h 20m
Total cost (1 person) $42 $121
Carbon footprint 13 kg CO2 8 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
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 Denton, TX to McKinney, TX with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.