Drive or Fly: Mescalero, NM to Las Cruces, 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 ROW–LRU. At 97 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 59m

Distance

97.3 mi

Total Cost

$56

CO2

39 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$21

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 12m

10m in the air

Air Distance

83 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

21 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Mescalero, NM → ROW 109m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 10m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

LRU → Las Cruces, NM 13m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Mescalero, NM ROW — Roswell Air Center Airport 73 mi, ~109m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ROW and LRU. 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 27m

2h 30m on road

Total Cost

$11

CO2

6 kg

Route

Greyhound US1190S

Door-to-Door Timeline

Mescalero, NM → Ruidoso (Ruidoso Downs Shamrock) (RUI6) 22m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 150m

Arrival 10m

Las Cruces(Road Runner Transit) (LAC6) → Las Cruces, NM 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $11) $11

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

Stations

From RUI6 — Ruidoso (Ruidoso Downs Shamrock) 15 mi, ~22m drive

To LAC6 — Las Cruces(Road Runner Transit) 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	1h 59m	4h 12m	3h 27m
Total cost (1 person)	$56	$123	$11
Carbon footprint	39 kg CO₂	21 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: 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 16, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Mescalero, NM to Las Cruces, NM with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.