Drive or Fly: Pecos, TX to Brownsville, TX?

Side-by-side comparison of driving versus flying for this route. Costs, time, and trade-offs at a glance.

Driving wins

Medium

No direct flights for CNM–BRO. Driving is the practical choice at this distance.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

10h 58m

Distance

641.1 mi

Total Cost

$322

CO2

259 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$142

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

5h 10m

1h 3m in the air

Air Distance

527 mi

Total Cost

$196

CO2

134 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Pecos, TX → CNM 117m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 63m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BRO → Brownsville, TX 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $141) $141

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Pecos, TX CNM — Cavern City Air Terminal 78 mi, ~117m drive

Brownsville, TX BRO — Brownsville South Padre Island International Airport 5 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between CNM and BRO. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 5h 48m 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 58m	5h 10m
Total cost (1 person)	$322	$196
Carbon footprint	259 kg CO₂	134 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

641.1 mi 10h 58m

via I 10; US 67, I 37; US 281, I 69E; US 77

Alternative (+77 min)

693.5 mi 12h 15m

via I 37; US 281, I 20, US 83

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