Drive or Fly: New River, AZ to Lake Havasu City, AZ?

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 PHX–HII. At 225 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

4h 12m

Distance

225.4 mi

Total Cost

$85

CO2

91 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$50

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 17m

16m in the air

Air Distance

131 mi

Total Cost

$180

CO2

33 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

New River, AZ → PHX 51m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 16m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

HII → Lake Havasu City, AZ 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

New River, AZ PHX — Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport 34 mi, ~51m drive

Lake Havasu City, AZ HII — Lake Havasu City Airport 6 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between PHX and HII. 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

5h 29m

3h 10m on road

Total Cost

$17

CO2

9 kg

Route

FlixBus 2040

Door-to-Door Timeline

New River, AZ → Phoenix Glendale (59th Ave / W. Hayward) (0GD) 38m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 190m

Arrival 10m

Kingman (South) (UKM) → Lake Havasu City, AZ 76m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $17) $17

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

Stations

From 0GD — Phoenix Glendale (59th Ave / W. Hayward) 25 mi, ~38m drive

To UKM — Kingman (South) 51 mi, ~76m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~6/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 6 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	4h 12m	3h 17m	5h 29m
Total cost (1 person)	$85	$180	$17
Carbon footprint	91 kg CO₂	33 kg CO₂	9 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 13, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from New River, AZ to Lake Havasu City, AZ with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.