Drive or Fly: El Paso, TX to Cactus, 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 ELP–AMA. At 452 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

9h 8m

Distance

452 mi

Total Cost

$135

CO2

183 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$100

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

− Driver fatigue on longer stretches

− Wear and tear on vehicle

− Fuel price fluctuations

Plan the drive

Fly

Door to Door

4h 28m

47m in the air

Air Distance

393 mi

Total Cost

$191

CO2

100 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

El Paso, TX → ELP 11m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 47m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

AMA → Cactus, TX 90m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $136) $136

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

El Paso, TX ELP — El Paso International Airport 7 mi, ~11m drive

Cactus, TX AMA — Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport 60 mi, ~90m drive

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Saves about 4h 40m 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

11h 8m

9h 5m on road

Total Cost

$39

CO2

21 kg

Route

Greyhound US1190S

Door-to-Door Timeline

El Paso, TX → El Paso Bus Station (W San Antonio St) (ELP6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 545m

Arrival 10m

Amarillo Multimodal Transfer Sta (AMR6) → Cactus, TX 88m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $39) $39

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

Stations

From ELP6 — El Paso Bus Station (W San Antonio St) 0 mi, ~10m drive

To AMR6 — Amarillo Multimodal Transfer Sta 59 mi, ~88m 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	9h 8m	4h 28m	11h 8m
Total cost (1 person)	$135	$191	$39
Carbon footprint	183 kg CO₂	100 kg CO₂	21 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 16, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

452 mi 9h 7m

via US 54, I 40, US 54; US 60

Alternative (+11 min)

477.3 mi 9h 18m

via US 70, US 54, US 70 Truck

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