Skip to main content
Trip.ovh Logo
Trip.ovh

Drive or Fly: Phoenix, AZ to Tonto Basin, 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–AZA. At 91 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:
Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 55m

Distance

91.7 mi

Total Cost

$55

CO2

37 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$20
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

3h 19m

6m in the air

Air Distance

52 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

13 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Phoenix, AZ → PHX 10m
Check-in & Security 90m
Flight 6m
Arrival & Baggage 30m
AZA → Tonto Basin, AZ 63m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

Phoenix, AZ PHX — Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport 4 mi, ~10m drive
Tonto Basin, AZ AZA — Mesa Gateway Airport 42 mi, ~63m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between PHX 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

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

2h 15m

15m on rail

Total Cost

$1

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 → Tonto Basin, AZ 70m

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 47 mi, ~70m 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

2h 17m

50m on road

Total Cost

$3

CO2

2 kg

Route

Greyhound US1030s

Door-to-Door Timeline

Phoenix, AZ → Phoenix Bus Station (PHX6) 10m
Boarding 15m
Bus ride 50m
Arrival 10m
Apache Junction (Chevron) (ACJ6) → Tonto Basin, AZ 52m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $3) $3

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

Stations

From PHX6 — Phoenix Bus Station 2 mi, ~10m drive
To ACJ6 — Apache Junction (Chevron) 35 mi, ~52m 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 1h 55m 3h 19m 2h 15m 2h 17m
Total cost (1 person) $55 $122 $1 $3
Carbon footprint 37 kg CO2 13 kg CO2 0 kg CO2 2 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 16, 2026.

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