Drive or Fly: Montopolis, TX to Cactus, 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 AUS–AMA. At 561 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

10h 1m

Distance

561.6 mi

Total Cost

$304

CO2

227 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$124

Hotel (1 room, 1 night) $110

Meals (1 pax, 2 days) $70

+ No luggage restrictions or TSA lines

+ Stop anywhere along the route

+ Have your own car at the destination

− Requires 2 days of driving

− Driver fatigue on longer stretches

− Wear and tear on vehicle

− Fuel price fluctuations

Plan the drive

Fly

Door to Door

4h 37m

57m in the air

Air Distance

472 mi

Total Cost

$194

CO2

120 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Montopolis, TX → AUS 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 57m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

AMA → Cactus, TX 90m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $139) $139

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

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

Cactus, TX AMA — Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport 60 mi, ~90m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between AUS and AMA. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 5h 24m compared to driving

+ 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly
Door-to-door time	10h 1m	4h 37m
Total cost (1 person)	$304	$194
Carbon footprint	227 kg CO₂	120 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 16, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

561.6 mi 10h 1m

via US 84, I 27; US 87, TX 153

Alternative (+25 min)

591.9 mi 10h 26m

via US 287, US 81; US 287, I 35

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