Drive or Fly: Denton, TX to San Antonio, 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–SAT. At 303 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

5h 27m

Distance

303.5 mi

Total Cost

$102

CO2

123 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$67

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 19m

33m in the air

Air Distance

274 mi

Total Cost

$186

CO2

70 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Denton, TX → DFW 34m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 33m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SAT → San Antonio, TX 12m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $131) $131

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Denton, TX DFW — Dallas Fort Worth International Airport 23 mi, ~34m drive

San Antonio, TX SAT — San Antonio International Airport 8 mi, ~12m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between DFW and SAT. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 2h 8m compared to driving

+ 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

8h 15m

7h 30m on road

Total Cost

$30

CO2

16 kg

Route

FlixBus 2230

Door-to-Door Timeline

Denton, TX → Denton (2DN) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 450m

Arrival 10m

San Antonio Bus Station (SNT6) → San Antonio, TX 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $30) $30

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

Stations

From 2DN — Denton 1 mi, ~10m drive

To SNT6 — San Antonio Bus Station 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	5h 27m	3h 19m	8h 15m
Total cost (1 person)	$102	$186	$30
Carbon footprint	123 kg CO₂	70 kg CO₂	16 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 12, 2026.

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