Drive or Fly: Houston, TX to Longview, 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 HOU–GGG. At 208 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

4h 3m

Distance

208.3 mi

Total Cost

$81

CO2

84 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$46

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

2h 50m

23m in the air

Air Distance

193 mi

Total Cost

$183

CO2

49 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Houston, TX → HOU 15m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 23m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

GGG → Longview, TX 12m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $128) $128

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

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

Longview, TX GGG — East Texas Regional Airport 8 mi, ~12m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between HOU and GGG. 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

5h 38m

4h 38m on rail

Total Cost

$38

CO2

11 kg

Route

Amtrak Thruway Connecting Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

Houston, TX → Houston 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 278m

Arrival 10m

Longview → Longview, TX 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $38) $38

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

Stations

From Houston 0 mi, ~10m drive

To Longview 1 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~4/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 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	4h 3m	2h 50m	5h 38m
Total cost (1 person)	$81	$183	$38
Carbon footprint	84 kg CO₂	49 kg CO₂	11 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 12, 2026.

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