Trip.ovh Logo
Trip.ovh

Drive or Fly: Laredo, TX to San Antonio, 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–SAT. At 155 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:
Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

2h 42m

Distance

155.9 mi

Total Cost

$70

CO2

63 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$35
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 40m

18m in the air

Air Distance

146 mi

Total Cost

$126

CO2

37 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Laredo, TX → LRD 10m
Check-in & Security 90m
Flight 18m
Arrival & Baggage 30m
SAT → San Antonio, TX 12m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Airports

Laredo, TX LRD — Laredo International Airport 4 mi, ~10m drive
San Antonio, TX SAT — San Antonio International Airport 8 mi, ~12m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between LRD 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
− Luggage fees and restrictions
− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

3h 35m

2h 50m on road

Total Cost

$16

CO2

9 kg

Route

FlixBus US1161

Door-to-Door Timeline

Laredo, TX → Laredo Bus Station (LRO6) 10m
Boarding 15m
Bus ride 170m
Arrival 10m
San Antonio Bus Station (SNT6) → San Antonio, TX 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $16) $16

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

Stations

From LRO6 — Laredo Bus Station 0 mi, ~10m drive
To SNT6 — San Antonio Bus Station 0 mi, ~10m 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 Bus
Door-to-door time 2h 42m 2h 40m 3h 35m
Total cost (1 person) $70 $126 $16
Carbon footprint 63 kg CO2 37 kg CO2 9 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: 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 12, 2026.

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