Drive or Fly: Granbury, TX to San Antonio, 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 MWL–SAT. At 234 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

4h 36m

Distance

234.9 mi

Total Cost

$87

CO2

95 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$52

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 20m

26m in the air

Air Distance

213 mi

Total Cost

$184

CO2

54 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Granbury, TX → MWL 42m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 26m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SAT → San Antonio, TX 12m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $129) $129

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Granbury, TX MWL — Mineral Wells Regional Airport 28 mi, ~42m drive

San Antonio, TX SAT — San Antonio International Airport 8 mi, ~12m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MWL and SAT. 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

9h 1m

7h 34m on rail

Total Cost

$43

CO2

12 kg

Route

Texas Eagle

Door-to-Door Timeline

Granbury, TX → Cleburne Amtrak Station 37m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 454m

Arrival 10m

San Antonio Amtrak Station → San Antonio, TX 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $43) $43

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

Stations

From Cleburne Amtrak Station 25 mi, ~37m drive

To San Antonio Amtrak Station 1 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~10/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 10 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

7h 57m

6h 45m on road

Total Cost

$23

CO2

12 kg

Route

Greyhound US1159S

Door-to-Door Timeline

Granbury, TX → Cleburne (CLU6) 37m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 405m

Arrival 10m

San Antonio Bus Station (SNT6) → San Antonio, TX 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $23) $23

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

Stations

From CLU6 — Cleburne 25 mi, ~37m drive

To SNT6 — San Antonio Bus Station 0 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 36m	3h 20m	9h 1m	7h 57m
Total cost (1 person)	$87	$184	$43	$23
Carbon footprint	95 kg CO₂	54 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 18, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

234.9 mi 4h 35m

via US 281, US 377, US 281 Bus

Alternative (+20 min)

261.2 mi 4h 56m

via US 281, I 35; US 290, US 183

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Granbury, TX to San Antonio, TX with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.