Drive or Fly: Grand Prairie, TX to Garland, 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 DFW–TXK. At 164 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

3h 4m

Distance

164 mi

Total Cost

$71

CO2

66 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$36

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 32m

17m in the air

Air Distance

145 mi

Total Cost

$126

CO2

37 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Grand Prairie, TX → DFW 16m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 17m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

TXK → Garland, TX 59m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Airports

Grand Prairie, TX DFW — Dallas Fort Worth International Airport 11 mi, ~16m drive

Garland, TX TXK — Texarkana Regional Airport (Webb Field) 39 mi, ~59m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between DFW and TXK. 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

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

6h 45m

4h 53m on rail

Total Cost

$33

CO2

10 kg

Route

Texas Eagle

Door-to-Door Timeline

Grand Prairie, TX → Dallas 17m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 293m

Arrival 10m

Texarkana Amtrak Station → Garland, TX 55m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $33) $33

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

Stations

From Dallas 11 mi, ~17m drive

To Texarkana Amtrak Station 37 mi, ~55m 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	3h 4m	3h 32m	6h 45m
Total cost (1 person)	$71	$126	$33
Carbon footprint	66 kg CO₂	37 kg CO₂	10 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 13, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Grand Prairie, TX to Garland, TX with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.