Drive or Fly: Irving, TX to New Braunfels, 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 DAL–SAT. At 248 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

4h 30m

Distance

248.9 mi

Total Cost

$90

CO2

101 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$55

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 13m

27m in the air

Air Distance

226 mi

Total Cost

$184

CO2

58 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Irving, TX → DAL 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 27m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SAT → New Braunfels, TX 36m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $129) $129

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

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

New Braunfels, TX SAT — San Antonio International Airport 24 mi, ~36m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between DAL 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

8h 47m

7h 30m on rail

Total Cost

$42

CO2

12 kg

Route

Texas Eagle

Door-to-Door Timeline

Irving, TX → Dallas 13m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 450m

Arrival 10m

San Marcos Amtrak → New Braunfels, TX 24m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $42) $42

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

Stations

From Dallas 9 mi, ~13m drive

To San Marcos Amtrak 16 mi, ~24m 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 9m

5h 10m on road

Total Cost

$23

CO2

12 kg

Route

FlixBus 2230

Door-to-Door Timeline

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

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 310m

Arrival 10m

San Marcos (CARTS) (SMT6) → New Braunfels, TX 24m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $23) $23

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

Stations

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

To SMT6 — San Marcos (CARTS) 16 mi, ~24m 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 30m	3h 13m	8h 47m	6h 9m
Total cost (1 person)	$90	$184	$42	$23
Carbon footprint	101 kg CO₂	58 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.

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