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Drive or Fly: El Paso, TX to Monahans, 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–MAF. At 248 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:
Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

4h 3m

Distance

248.9 mi

Total Cost

$90

CO2

101 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$55
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

3h 47m

25m in the air

Air Distance

212 mi

Total Cost

$183

CO2

54 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

El Paso, TX → ELP 11m
Check-in & Security 90m
Flight 25m
Arrival & Baggage 30m
MAF → Monahans, TX 71m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $128) $128
Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

El Paso, TX ELP — El Paso International Airport 7 mi, ~11m drive
Monahans, TX MAF — Midland International Air and Space Port 47 mi, ~71m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ELP and MAF. 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

5h 16m

3h 45m on road

Total Cost

$20

CO2

10 kg

Route

Greyhound US1000

Door-to-Door Timeline

El Paso, TX → El Paso Bus Station (W San Antonio St) (ELP6) 10m
Boarding 15m
Bus ride 225m
Arrival 10m
Pecos (Stripes) (PEC6) → Monahans, TX 56m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $20) $20

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 PEC6 — Pecos (Stripes) 37 mi, ~56m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~21/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 Bus
Door-to-door time 4h 3m 3h 47m 5h 16m
Total cost (1 person) $90 $183 $20
Carbon footprint 101 kg CO2 54 kg CO2 10 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.

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