Drive or Fly: Little Elm, TX to McKinney, 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 ACT–DAL. At 144 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

2h 28m

Distance

144.6 mi

Total Cost

$67

CO2

58 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$32

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 47m

15m in the air

Air Distance

122 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

31 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Little Elm, TX → ACT 50m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 15m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DAL → McKinney, TX 42m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

Little Elm, TX ACT — Waco Regional Airport 33 mi, ~50m drive

McKinney, TX DAL — Dallas Love Field 28 mi, ~42m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ACT and DAL. 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

6h 5m

3h 36m on rail

Total Cost

$20

CO2

6 kg

Route

Texas Eagle

Door-to-Door Timeline

Little Elm, TX → Mcgregor Amtrak 62m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 216m

Arrival 10m

Dallas → McKinney, TX 47m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $20) $20

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

Stations

From Mcgregor Amtrak 41 mi, ~62m drive

To Dallas 31 mi, ~47m 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	2h 28m	3h 47m	6h 5m
Total cost (1 person)	$67	$125	$20
Carbon footprint	58 kg CO₂	31 kg CO₂	6 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 12, 2026.

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