Drive or Fly: Mexia, TX to Fort Worth, 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–FTW. At 96 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 2m

Distance

96.8 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

3h 26m

10m in the air

Air Distance

87 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

22 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Mexia, TX → ACT 66m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 10m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

FTW → Fort Worth, TX 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Mexia, TX ACT — Waco Regional Airport 44 mi, ~66m drive

Fort Worth, TX FTW — Fort Worth Meacham International Airport 7 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ACT and FTW. 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

4h 25m

2h 10m on rail

Total Cost

$18

CO2

5 kg

Route

Texas Eagle

Door-to-Door Timeline

Mexia, TX → Mcgregor Amtrak 85m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 130m

Arrival 10m

Fort Worth → Fort Worth, TX 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $18) $18

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

Stations

From Mcgregor Amtrak 57 mi, ~85m drive

To Fort Worth 2 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~9/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 9 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 2m	3h 26m	4h 25m
Total cost (1 person)	$56	$123	$18
Carbon footprint	39 kg CO₂	22 kg CO₂	5 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 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

96.8 mi 2h 2m

via I 35W, TX 171

Alternative (+5 min)

108.5 mi 2h 7m

via US 287, I 45, TX 14

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