Drive or Fly: McCamey, TX to Montopolis, 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 MAF–AUS. At 318 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

5h 45m

Distance

318.6 mi

Total Cost

$106

CO2

129 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$71

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

4h 7m

33m in the air

Air Distance

276 mi

Total Cost

$186

CO2

70 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

McCamey, TX → MAF 84m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 33m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

AUS → Montopolis, TX 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $131) $131

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

McCamey, TX MAF — Midland International Air and Space Port 56 mi, ~84m drive

Montopolis, TX AUS — Austin Bergstrom International Airport 4 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MAF 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

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

13h 4m

10h 30m on rail

Total Cost

$55

CO2

16 kg

Route

Texas Eagle

Door-to-Door Timeline

McCamey, TX → Sanderson Amtrak 104m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 630m

Arrival 10m

Austin → Montopolis, TX 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $55) $55

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

Stations

From Sanderson Amtrak 70 mi, ~104m drive

To Austin 4 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~4/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 4 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	5h 45m	4h 7m	13h 4m
Total cost (1 person)	$106	$186	$55
Carbon footprint	129 kg CO₂	70 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: 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 13, 2026.

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