Drive or Fly: Laredo, TX to Abilene, 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 LRD–ABI. At 409 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

7h 16m

Distance

409.9 mi

Total Cost

$126

CO2

166 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$91

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

− Driver fatigue on longer stretches

− Wear and tear on vehicle

− Fuel price fluctuations

Plan the drive

Fly

Door to Door

3h 1m

41m in the air

Air Distance

342 mi

Total Cost

$189

CO2

87 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Laredo, TX → LRD 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 41m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

ABI → Abilene, TX 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $134) $134

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Laredo, TX LRD — Laredo International Airport 4 mi, ~10m drive

Abilene, TX ABI — Abilene Regional Airport 4 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between LRD and ABI. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 4h 15m compared to driving

+ 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly
Door-to-door time	7h 16m	3h 1m
Total cost (1 person)	$126	$189
Carbon footprint	166 kg CO₂	87 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

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 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

409.9 mi 7h 15m

via I 35; I 27; US 83, US 83, I 10; US 87

Shortest (+4 min)

396.5 mi 7h 20m

via I 35; I 27; US 83, US 87, US 283

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