Drive or Fly: Fabens, TX to Fort Worth, 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–FTW. At 577 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

9h 34m

Distance

577.3 mi

Total Cost

$163

CO2

233 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$128

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

− Driver fatigue on longer stretches

− Wear and tear on vehicle

− Fuel price fluctuations

Plan the drive

Fly

Door to Door

3h 50m

1h 3m in the air

Air Distance

524 mi

Total Cost

$196

CO2

134 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Fabens, TX → ELP 37m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 63m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

FTW → Fort Worth, TX 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $141) $141

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Fabens, TX ELP — El Paso International Airport 25 mi, ~37m drive

Fort Worth, TX FTW — Fort Worth Meacham International Airport 7 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Saves about 5h 44m 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

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

22h 42m

21h 12m on rail

Total Cost

$108

CO2

31 kg

Route

Texas Eagle

Door-to-Door Timeline

Fabens, TX → El Paso 40m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 1272m

Arrival 10m

Fort Worth → Fort Worth, TX 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $108) $108

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

Stations

From El Paso 27 mi, ~40m drive

To Fort Worth 2 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~4/week

+ Spacious seating with legroom and power outlets

+ Walk around freely during the trip

+ Scenic views along the route

+ No driving fatigue — relax or work en route

+ Much lower carbon footprint than driving or flying

− Limited schedule — about 4 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	9h 34m	3h 50m	22h 42m
Total cost (1 person)	$163	$196	$108
Carbon footprint	233 kg CO₂	134 kg CO₂	31 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 — 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 13, 2026.

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