Drive or Fly: Pecos, TX to McKinney, 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 CNM–DAL. At 454 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

7h 46m

Distance

454.2 mi

Total Cost

$135

CO2

183 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$100

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

− Driver fatigue on longer stretches

− Wear and tear on vehicle

− Fuel price fluctuations

Plan the drive

Fly

Door to Door

5h 29m

50m in the air

Air Distance

420 mi

Total Cost

$192

CO2

107 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Pecos, TX → CNM 117m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 50m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DAL → McKinney, TX 42m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $137) $137

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

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

McKinney, TX DAL — Dallas Love Field 28 mi, ~42m drive

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Saves about 2h 17m 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

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

21h 46m

18h 28m on rail

Total Cost

$87

CO2

25 kg

Route

Texas Eagle

Door-to-Door Timeline

Pecos, TX → Alpine Amtrak Station 111m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 1108m

Arrival 10m

Dallas → McKinney, TX 47m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $87) $87

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

Stations

From Alpine Amtrak Station 74 mi, ~111m drive

To Dallas 31 mi, ~47m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~3/week

+ Spacious seating with legroom and power outlets

+ Walk around freely during the trip

+ Scenic views along the route

+ No driving fatigue — relax or work en route

+ Much lower carbon footprint than driving or flying

− Limited schedule — about 3 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	7h 46m	5h 29m	21h 46m
Total cost (1 person)	$135	$192	$87
Carbon footprint	183 kg CO₂	107 kg CO₂	25 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: Amtrak 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 18, 2026.

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