Drive or Fly: Fort Stockton, TX to Houston, 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–HOU. At 505 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

8h 27m

Distance

505.2 mi

Total Cost

$147

CO2

204 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$112

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

5h 14m

55m in the air

Air Distance

455 mi

Total Cost

$193

CO2

116 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Fort Stockton, TX → MAF 124m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 55m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

HOU → Houston, TX 15m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $138) $138

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

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

Houston, TX HOU — William P. Hobby Airport 10 mi, ~15m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MAF and HOU. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 3h 13m 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

14h 4m

12h 24m on rail

Total Cost

$84

CO2

29 kg

Route

Sunset Limited

Door-to-Door Timeline

Fort Stockton, TX → Sanderson Amtrak 30m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 744m

Arrival 10m

Houston → Houston, TX 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $84) $84

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

Stations

From Sanderson Amtrak 0 mi, ~30m drive

To Houston 0 mi, ~30m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~2/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 2 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 27m	5h 14m	14h 4m
Total cost (1 person)	$147	$193	$84
Carbon footprint	204 kg CO₂	116 kg CO₂	29 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

505.2 mi 8h 27m

via I 10; US 67; US 385, I 10; TX 130, Loop 1604

Alternative (+77 min)

545.1 mi 9h 44m

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

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