Drive or Fly: Lake Dallas, TX to Fort Worth, 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–FTW. At 40 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

51m

Distance

40.5 mi

Total Cost

$44

CO2

16 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$9

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 37m

4m in the air

Air Distance

32 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

8 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Lake Dallas, TX → DFW 23m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 4m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

FTW → Fort Worth, TX 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

Lake Dallas, TX DFW — Dallas Fort Worth International Airport 15 mi, ~23m drive

Fort Worth, TX FTW — Fort Worth Meacham International Airport 7 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between DFW and FTW. 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 37m

1h 7m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

Texas Eagle

Door-to-Door Timeline

Lake Dallas, TX → Dallas 40m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 67m

Arrival 10m

Fort Worth → Fort Worth, TX 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $6) $6

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

Stations

From Dallas 27 mi, ~40m drive

To Fort Worth 2 mi, ~10m 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	51m	2h 37m	2h 37m
Total cost (1 person)	$44	$121	$6
Carbon footprint	16 kg CO₂	8 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

40.5 mi 50m

via TX 121, I 35E, TX 121 Bus

Alternative (+1 min)

46.4 mi 51m

via I 35W Express, I 35W, I 35E

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Lake Dallas, TX to Fort Worth, TX with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.