Drive or Fly: Las Cruces, NM to Portales, NM?

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 LRU–CVN. At 274 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

4h 35m

Distance

274 mi

Total Cost

$96

CO2

111 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$61

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 14m

28m in the air

Air Distance

237 mi

Total Cost

$184

CO2

61 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Las Cruces, NM → LRU 13m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 28m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

CVN → Portales, NM 33m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $129) $129

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Las Cruces, NM LRU — Las Cruces International Airport 9 mi, ~13m drive

Portales, NM CVN — Clovis Municipal Airport 22 mi, ~33m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between LRU and CVN. 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

6h 45m

5h 20m on road

Total Cost

$26

CO2

16 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Las Cruces, NM → Las Cruces(Road Runner Transit) (LAC6) 30m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 320m

Arrival 10m

Portales (McDonald's) (PTL6) → Portales, NM 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $26) $26

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

Stations

From LAC6 — Las Cruces(Road Runner Transit) 0 mi, ~30m drive

To PTL6 — Portales (McDonald's) 0 mi, ~30m 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	4h 35m	3h 14m	6h 45m
Total cost (1 person)	$96	$184	$26
Carbon footprint	111 kg CO₂	61 kg CO₂	16 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 Las Cruces, NM to Portales, NM with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.