Drive or Fly: Fort Stockton, TX to Austin, 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 MAF–AUS. At 336 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

5h 50m

Distance

336.5 mi

Total Cost

$109

CO2

136 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$74

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

4h 51m

37m in the air

Air Distance

309 mi

Total Cost

$187

CO2

79 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Fort Stockton, TX → MAF 124m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 37m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

AUS → Austin, TX 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $132) $132

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Fort Stockton, TX MAF — Midland International Air and Space Port 83 mi, ~124m drive

Austin, TX AUS — Austin Bergstrom International Airport 7 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MAF and AUS. 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

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

12h 10m

10h 30m on rail

Total Cost

$55

CO2

20 kg

Route

Texas Eagle

Door-to-Door Timeline

Fort Stockton, TX → Sanderson Amtrak 30m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 630m

Arrival 10m

Austin → Austin, TX 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $55) $55

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

Stations

From Sanderson Amtrak 0 mi, ~30m drive

To Austin 0 mi, ~30m 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	5h 50m	4h 51m	12h 10m
Total cost (1 person)	$109	$187	$55
Carbon footprint	136 kg CO₂	79 kg CO₂	20 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 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

336.5 mi 5h 49m

via I 10; US 67; US 385, US 290, US 281; US 290

Alternative (+53 min)

360.5 mi 6h 43m

via I 10; US 67; US 385, TX 71, US 190

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