Drive or Fly: New Braunfels, TX to Amarillo, 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 SAT–AMA. At 525 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

9h 13m

Distance

525.6 mi

Total Cost

$151

CO2

212 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$116

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

− Driver fatigue on longer stretches

− Wear and tear on vehicle

− Fuel price fluctuations

Plan the drive

Fly

Door to Door

3h 40m

53m in the air

Air Distance

438 mi

Total Cost

$193

CO2

112 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

New Braunfels, TX → SAT 36m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 53m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

AMA → Amarillo, TX 11m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $138) $138

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

New Braunfels, TX SAT — San Antonio International Airport 24 mi, ~36m drive

Amarillo, TX AMA — Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport 7 mi, ~11m drive

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Saves about 5h 33m 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	9h 13m	3h 40m
Total cost (1 person)	$151	$193
Carbon footprint	212 kg CO₂	112 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 15, 2026.

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