Drive or Fly: Pleasant Grove, AL to Texas, AL?

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 BHM–MSL. At 112 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:
Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

2h 13m

Distance

112.7 mi

Total Cost

$60

CO2

46 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$25
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

4h 42m

10m in the air

Air Distance

86 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

22 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Pleasant Grove, AL → BHM 67m
Check-in & Security 90m
Flight 10m
Arrival & Baggage 30m
MSL → Texas, AL 85m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Pleasant Grove, AL BHM — Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport 44 mi, ~67m drive
Texas, AL MSL — Northwest Alabama Regional Airport 57 mi, ~85m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between BHM and MSL. 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

3h 53m

55m on rail

Total Cost

$10

CO2

3 kg

Route

Crescent

Door-to-Door Timeline

Pleasant Grove, AL → Birmingham 61m
Boarding 30m
Train ride 55m
Arrival 10m
Tuscaloosa Amtrak Station → Texas, AL 77m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $10) $10

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

Stations

From Birmingham 41 mi, ~61m drive
To Tuscaloosa Amtrak Station 51 mi, ~77m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~7/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 7 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 2h 13m 4h 42m 3h 53m
Total cost (1 person) $60 $123 $10
Carbon footprint 46 kg CO2 22 kg CO2 3 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 13, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Pleasant Grove, AL to Texas, AL with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.