Drive or Fly: Fort Davis, TX to Arlington, 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 CNM–DFW. At 489 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

8h 46m

Distance

489.5 mi

Total Cost

$143

CO2

198 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$108

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

6h 13m

51m in the air

Air Distance

426 mi

Total Cost

$192

CO2

109 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Fort Davis, TX → CNM 184m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 51m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DFW → Arlington, TX 18m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $137) $137

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Fort Davis, TX CNM — Cavern City Air Terminal 123 mi, ~184m drive

Arlington, TX DFW — Dallas Fort Worth International Airport 12 mi, ~18m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between CNM and DFW. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 2h 33m 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

18h 33m

17h 2m on rail

Total Cost

$82

CO2

24 kg

Route

Texas Eagle

Door-to-Door Timeline

Fort Davis, TX → Alpine Amtrak Station 32m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 1022m

Arrival 10m

Fort Worth → Arlington, TX 19m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $82) $82

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

Stations

From Alpine Amtrak Station 21 mi, ~32m drive

To Fort Worth 13 mi, ~19m 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	8h 46m	6h 13m	18h 33m
Total cost (1 person)	$143	$192	$82
Carbon footprint	198 kg CO₂	109 kg CO₂	24 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 15, 2026.

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