Drive or Fly: El Paso, TX to Canyon, 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 400 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

7h 58m

Distance

400.2 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

162 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$88

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

3h 22m

41m in the air

Air Distance

345 mi

Total Cost

$189

CO2

88 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

El Paso, TX → ELP 11m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 41m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

AMA → Canyon, TX 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $134) $134

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

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

Canyon, TX AMA — Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport 20 mi, ~30m drive

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Saves about 4h 36m 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

10h 30m

9h 5m on road

Total Cost

$39

CO2

23 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

El Paso, TX → El Paso Bus Station (W San Antonio St) (ELP6) 30m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 545m

Arrival 10m

Amarillo Multimodal Transfer Sta (AMR6) → Canyon, TX 30m

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, ~30m drive

To AMR6 — Amarillo Multimodal Transfer Sta 0 mi, ~30m 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	7h 58m	3h 22m	10h 30m
Total cost (1 person)	$123	$189	$39
Carbon footprint	162 kg CO₂	88 kg CO₂	23 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 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

400.2 mi 7h 57m

via US 70, US 54, US 70 Truck

Alternative (+9 min)

429.6 mi 8h 7m

via US 62; US 180, TX 214, US 60

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