Drive or Fly: Gonzales, TX to Irving, 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 AUS–DAL. At 265 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

4h 42m

Distance

265.5 mi

Total Cost

$94

CO2

107 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$59

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 53m

28m in the air

Air Distance

231 mi

Total Cost

$184

CO2

59 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Gonzales, TX → AUS 75m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 28m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DAL → Irving, TX 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $129) $129

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Gonzales, TX AUS — Austin Bergstrom International Airport 50 mi, ~75m drive

Irving, TX DAL — Dallas Love Field 6 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between AUS and DAL. 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

8h 53m

7h 1m on rail

Total Cost

$42

CO2

12 kg

Route

Texas Eagle

Door-to-Door Timeline

Gonzales, TX → San Marcos Amtrak 59m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 421m

Arrival 10m

Dallas → Irving, TX 13m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $42) $42

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

Stations

From San Marcos Amtrak 39 mi, ~59m drive

To Dallas 9 mi, ~13m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~6/week

+ Spacious seating with legroom and power outlets

+ Walk around freely during the trip

+ No driving fatigue — relax or work en route

+ Much lower carbon footprint than driving or flying

− Limited schedule — about 6 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

6h 39m

5h 5m on road

Total Cost

$23

CO2

12 kg

Route

FlixBus 2230

Door-to-Door Timeline

Gonzales, TX → San Marcos (CARTS) (SMT6) 59m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 305m

Arrival 10m

Dallas Market Center (2DM) → Irving, TX 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $23) $23

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

Stations

From SMT6 — San Marcos (CARTS) 39 mi, ~59m drive

To 2DM — Dallas Market Center 5 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~7/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

− Limited schedule — about 7 trips per week

− Travel time longer than driving

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train	Bus
Door-to-door time	4h 42m	3h 53m	8h 53m	6h 39m
Total cost (1 person)	$94	$184	$42	$23
Carbon footprint	107 kg CO₂	59 kg CO₂	12 kg CO₂	12 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, 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 Gonzales, TX to Irving, TX with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.