Drive or Fly: Payson, AZ to Hayden, 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 FLG–AZA. At 118 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 51m

Distance

118.5 mi

Total Cost

$61

CO2

48 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$26

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

5h 12m

11m in the air

Air Distance

90 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

23 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Payson, AZ → FLG 99m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 11m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

AZA → Hayden, AZ 82m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

Payson, AZ FLG — Flagstaff Pulliam Airport 66 mi, ~99m drive

Hayden, AZ AZA — Mesa Gateway Airport 55 mi, ~82m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between FLG and AZA. 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly
Door-to-door time	2h 51m	5h 12m
Total cost (1 person)	$61	$124
Carbon footprint	48 kg CO₂	23 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 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

118.5 mi 2h 50m

via AZ 188, AZ 77, AZ 87

Alternative (+23 min)

137.9 mi 3h 14m

via AZ 87, US 60; US 80 Hist, AZ 177

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Payson, AZ to Hayden, AZ with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.