Drive or Fly: Queen Creek, AZ to Glendale, 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 AZA–PHX. At 47 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

1h 5m

Distance

47.7 mi

Total Cost

$46

CO2

19 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$11

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 34m

5m in the air

Air Distance

38 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

10 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Queen Creek, AZ → AZA 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 5m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

PHX → Glendale, AZ 19m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

Queen Creek, AZ AZA — Mesa Gateway Airport 4 mi, ~10m drive

Glendale, AZ PHX — Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport 13 mi, ~19m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between AZA 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

2h 10m

45m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

Amtrak Thruway Connecting Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

Queen Creek, AZ → Tempe Amtrak Bus Stop 33m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 45m

Arrival 10m

North Phoenix Metro Center Transit Station → Glendale, AZ 12m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $4) $4

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

Stations

From Tempe Amtrak Bus Stop 22 mi, ~33m drive

To North Phoenix Metro Center Transit Station 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	1h 5m	2h 34m	2h 10m
Total cost (1 person)	$46	$122	$4
Carbon footprint	19 kg CO₂	10 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 — 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 Queen Creek, AZ to Glendale, AZ with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.