Drive or Fly: Pelican Bay, TX to San Antonio, 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 FTW–SAT. At 288 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

5h 23m

Distance

288.1 mi

Total Cost

$99

CO2

116 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$64

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

2h 59m

30m in the air

Air Distance

248 mi

Total Cost

$185

CO2

63 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Pelican Bay, TX → FTW 17m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 30m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SAT → San Antonio, TX 12m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $130) $130

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Pelican Bay, TX FTW — Fort Worth Meacham International Airport 12 mi, ~17m drive

San Antonio, TX SAT — San Antonio International Airport 8 mi, ~12m drive

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Saves about 2h 24m 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

9h 58m

8h 18m on rail

Total Cost

$48

CO2

17 kg

Route

Texas Eagle

Door-to-Door Timeline

Pelican Bay, TX → Fort Worth 30m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 498m

Arrival 10m

San Antonio Amtrak Station → San Antonio, TX 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $48) $48

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

Stations

From Fort Worth 0 mi, ~30m drive

To San Antonio Amtrak Station 0 mi, ~30m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~10/week

+ Spacious seating with legroom and power outlets

+ Walk around freely during the trip

+ No driving fatigue — relax or work en route

+ Much lower carbon footprint than driving or flying

− Limited schedule — about 10 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	5h 23m	2h 59m	9h 58m
Total cost (1 person)	$99	$185	$48
Carbon footprint	116 kg CO₂	63 kg CO₂	17 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.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

288.1 mi 5h 23m

via I 35, I 35W; US 287 Bus, I 35; US 290

Shortest (+19 min)

279.7 mi 5h 42m

via US 281, I 20, US 281 Bus

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Pelican Bay, TX to San Antonio, TX with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.