Drive or Fly: Desert Hills, AZ to Glendale, 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 HII–PHX. At 206 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

3h 57m

Distance

206 mi

Total Cost

$81

CO2

83 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$46

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 46m

17m in the air

Air Distance

143 mi

Total Cost

$181

CO2

37 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Desert Hills, AZ → HII 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 17m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

PHX → Glendale, AZ 19m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Desert Hills, AZ HII — Lake Havasu City Airport 1 mi, ~10m drive

Glendale, AZ PHX — Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport 13 mi, ~19m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between HII 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

4h 56m

3h 10m on road

Total Cost

$17

CO2

9 kg

Route

FlixBus 2040

Door-to-Door Timeline

Desert Hills, AZ → Kingman (South) (UKM) 71m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 190m

Arrival 10m

Phoenix Glendale (59th Ave / W. Hayward) (0GD) → Glendale, AZ 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $17) $17

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

Stations

From UKM — Kingman (South) 47 mi, ~71m drive

To 0GD — Phoenix Glendale (59th Ave / W. Hayward) 1 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~6/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 6 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	3h 57m	2h 46m	4h 56m
Total cost (1 person)	$81	$181	$17
Carbon footprint	83 kg CO₂	37 kg CO₂	9 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 Desert Hills, AZ to Glendale, AZ with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.