Drive or Fly: Keene, TX to Arlington, 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 FTW–DFW. At 38 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

50m

Distance

38.1 mi

Total Cost

$43

CO2

15 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$8

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 5m

3m in the air

Air Distance

27 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

7 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Keene, TX → FTW 44m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 3m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DFW → Arlington, TX 18m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

Keene, TX FTW — Fort Worth Meacham International Airport 29 mi, ~44m drive

Arlington, TX DFW — Dallas Fort Worth International Airport 12 mi, ~18m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between FTW and DFW. 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

2h 7m

58m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

Texas Eagle

Door-to-Door Timeline

Keene, TX → Cleburne Amtrak Station 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 58m

Arrival 10m

Fort Worth → Arlington, TX 19m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $6) $6

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

Stations

From Cleburne Amtrak Station 5 mi, ~10m drive

To Fort Worth 13 mi, ~19m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~9/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 9 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	50m	3h 5m	2h 7m
Total cost (1 person)	$43	$121	$6
Carbon footprint	15 kg CO₂	7 kg CO₂	2 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 18, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

38.1 mi 49m

via I 35W, I 20, FM 2280

Shortest (+4 min)

36 mi 54m

via FM 917, TX 360, FM 2280

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