Drive or Fly: Phoenix, AZ to San Carlos, 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–PHX. At 19 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

29m

Distance

19.1 mi

Total Cost

$39

CO2

8 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$4

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 28m

2m in the air

Air Distance

15 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

4 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Phoenix, AZ → PHX 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 2m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

PHX → San Carlos, AZ 16m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

Phoenix, AZ PHX — Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport 4 mi, ~10m drive

San Carlos, AZ PHX — Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport 11 mi, ~16m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between PHX and PHX. 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

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

1h 17m

15m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

0 kg

Route

Amtrak Thruway Connecting Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

Phoenix, AZ → Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport Amtrak Station 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 15m

Arrival 10m

Tempe Amtrak Bus Stop → San Carlos, AZ 12m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $1) $1

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

Stations

From Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport Amtrak Station 4 mi, ~10m drive

To Tempe Amtrak Bus Stop 8 mi, ~12m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~2/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 2 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

1h 10m

25m on road

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

Greyhound US1000

Door-to-Door Timeline

Phoenix, AZ → Phoenix Bus Station (PHX6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 25m

Arrival 10m

Mesa Bus Stop (MES6) → San Carlos, AZ 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $1) $1

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

Stations

From PHX6 — Phoenix Bus Station 2 mi, ~10m drive

To MES6 — Mesa Bus Stop 3 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~7/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 7 trips per week

− Travel time longer than driving

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train	Bus
Door-to-door time	29m	2h 28m	1h 17m	1h 10m
Total cost (1 person)	$39	$121	$1	$1
Carbon footprint	8 kg CO₂	4 kg CO₂	0 kg CO₂	1 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, 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 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

19.1 mi 28m

via US 60, I 17; US 60

Alternative (+2 min)

22 mi 31m

via Red Mountain Freeway, AZ 101 Loop

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