Drive or Fly: Livingston, TX to Austin, 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 IAH–AUS. At 199 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 54m

Distance

199.3 mi

Total Cost

$79

CO2

81 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$44

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 54m

20m in the air

Air Distance

170 mi

Total Cost

$127

CO2

43 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Livingston, TX → IAH 84m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 20m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

AUS → Austin, TX 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $127) $127

Airports

Livingston, TX IAH — George Bush Intercontinental Airport 56 mi, ~84m drive

Austin, TX AUS — Austin Bergstrom International Airport 7 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between IAH and AUS. 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly
Door-to-door time	3h 54m	3h 54m
Total cost (1 person)	$79	$127
Carbon footprint	81 kg CO₂	43 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

199.3 mi 3h 53m

via TX 21, TX 30, US 190

Alternative (+9 min)

213.5 mi 4h 3m

via US 290, US 59, TX 99 Toll

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