Drive or Fly: Quartzsite, AZ to Tucson, 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 HII–TUS. At 245 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

4h 21m

Distance

245.2 mi

Total Cost

$89

CO2

99 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$54

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 12m

26m in the air

Air Distance

216 mi

Total Cost

$184

CO2

55 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Quartzsite, AZ → HII 95m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 26m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

TUS → Tucson, AZ 11m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $129) $129

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Quartzsite, AZ HII — Lake Havasu City Airport 63 mi, ~95m drive

Tucson, AZ TUS — Tucson International Airport 7 mi, ~11m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between HII and TUS. 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

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

6h 31m

4h 51m on rail

Total Cost

$43

CO2

14 kg

Route

Texas Eagle

Door-to-Door Timeline

Quartzsite, AZ → Yuma Amtrak 30m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 291m

Arrival 10m

Tucson Amtrak Station → Tucson, AZ 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $43) $43

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

Stations

From Yuma Amtrak 0 mi, ~30m drive

To Tucson Amtrak Station 0 mi, ~30m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~4/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 4 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

6h 10m

4h 45m on road

Total Cost

$26

CO2

14 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Quartzsite, AZ → Blythe (Rocket Gas) (BTH6) 30m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 285m

Arrival 10m

Tucson (6th Street Garage - University of Arizona, Tucson) (UOA) → Tucson, AZ 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $26) $26

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

Stations

From BTH6 — Blythe (Rocket Gas) 0 mi, ~30m drive

To UOA — Tucson (6th Street Garage - University of Arizona, Tucson) 0 mi, ~30m 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	4h 21m	4h 12m	6h 31m	6h 10m
Total cost (1 person)	$89	$184	$43	$26
Carbon footprint	99 kg CO₂	55 kg CO₂	14 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: 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.

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