Drive or Fly: Dumas, TX to Brownsville, TX?

Side-by-side comparison of driving versus flying for this route. Costs, time, and trade-offs at a glance.

Flying wins

Medium

Flying saves significant time at this distance. Consider driving only if you enjoy the road trip.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

14h 37m

Distance

829.9 mi

Total Cost

$363

CO2

335 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$183

Hotel (1 room, 1 night) $110

Meals (1 pax, 2 days) $70

+ No luggage restrictions or TSA lines

+ Stop anywhere along the route

+ Have your own car at the destination

− Requires 2 days of driving

− Driver fatigue on longer stretches

− Wear and tear on vehicle

− Fuel price fluctuations

Plan the drive

Fly

Door to Door

4h 50m

1h 29m in the air

Air Distance

738 mi

Total Cost

$294

CO2

188 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Dumas, TX → AMA 71m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 89m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BRO → Brownsville, TX 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $239) $239

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Dumas, TX AMA — Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport 47 mi, ~71m drive

Brownsville, TX BRO — Brownsville South Padre Island International Airport 5 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between AMA and BRO. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 9h 47m 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly
Door-to-door time	14h 37m	4h 50m
Total cost (1 person)	$363	$294
Carbon footprint	335 kg CO₂	188 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 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

829.9 mi 14h 36m

via US 83, I 37; US 281, US 84

Alternative (+99 min)

903.2 mi 16h 16m

via US 287, US 82; US 287, I 35W

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