Drive or Fly: Duncanville, TX to Austin, 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–AUS. At 190 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 22m

Distance

190.4 mi

Total Cost

$77

CO2

77 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$42

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 52m

21m in the air

Air Distance

172 mi

Total Cost

$127

CO2

44 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Duncanville, TX → DAL 21m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 21m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

AUS → Austin, TX 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $127) $127

Airports

Duncanville, TX DAL — Dallas Love Field 14 mi, ~21m drive

Austin, TX AUS — Austin Bergstrom International Airport 7 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between DAL and AUS. 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

7h 35m

6h 29m on rail

Total Cost

$36

CO2

11 kg

Route

Texas Eagle

Door-to-Door Timeline

Duncanville, TX → Dallas 16m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 389m

Arrival 10m

Austin → Austin, TX 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $36) $36

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

Stations

From Dallas 10 mi, ~16m drive

To Austin 1 mi, ~10m 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

4h 22m

3h 30m on road

Total Cost

$20

CO2

11 kg

Route

FlixBus 2230

Door-to-Door Timeline

Duncanville, TX → Downtown Dallas / Deep Ellum (2DA) 17m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 210m

Arrival 10m

Downtown Austin (9th St) (2AS) → Austin, TX 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $20) $20

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

Stations

From 2DA — Downtown Dallas / Deep Ellum 11 mi, ~17m drive

To 2AS — Downtown Austin (9th St) 1 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~28/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

− 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	3h 22m	2h 52m	7h 35m	4h 22m
Total cost (1 person)	$77	$127	$36	$20
Carbon footprint	77 kg CO₂	44 kg CO₂	11 kg CO₂	11 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 17, 2026.

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