Drive or Fly: Portales, NM to Las Cruces, NM?

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 CVN–LRU. At 273 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

5h 34m

Distance

273.5 mi

Total Cost

$95

CO2

110 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$60

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 14m

28m in the air

Air Distance

237 mi

Total Cost

$184

CO2

61 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Portales, NM → CVN 33m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 28m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

LRU → Las Cruces, NM 13m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $129) $129

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Portales, NM CVN — Clovis Municipal Airport 22 mi, ~33m drive

Las Cruces, NM LRU — Las Cruces International Airport 9 mi, ~13m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between CVN and LRU. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 2h 20m 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

6h 20m

5h 35m on road

Total Cost

$26

CO2

14 kg

Route

Greyhound US1190S

Door-to-Door Timeline

Portales, NM → Portales (McDonald's) (PTL6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 335m

Arrival 10m

Las Cruces(Road Runner Transit) (LAC6) → Las Cruces, NM 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $26) $26

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

Stations

From PTL6 — Portales (McDonald's) 1 mi, ~10m drive

To LAC6 — Las Cruces(Road Runner Transit) 0 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	Bus
Door-to-door time	5h 34m	3h 14m	6h 20m
Total cost (1 person)	$95	$184	$26
Carbon footprint	110 kg CO₂	61 kg CO₂	14 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: 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 15, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Portales, NM to Las Cruces, NM with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.