Drive or Fly: Rockdale, TX to Houston, TX?

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 CLL–HOU. At 140 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 48m

Distance

140.7 mi

Total Cost

$66

CO2

57 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$31

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 26m

14m in the air

Air Distance

116 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

29 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Rockdale, TX → CLL 57m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 14m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

HOU → Houston, TX 15m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

Rockdale, TX CLL — Easterwood Field 38 mi, ~57m drive

Houston, TX HOU — William P. Hobby Airport 10 mi, ~15m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between CLL and HOU. 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly
Door-to-door time	2h 48m	3h 26m
Total cost (1 person)	$66	$125
Carbon footprint	57 kg CO₂	29 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

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.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

140.7 mi 2h 48m

via US 290; TX 36, US 77, US 290

Alternative (+1 min)

143.9 mi 2h 49m

via US 190; TX 6, TX 249, US 79; US 190; TX 36

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Rockdale, TX to Houston, TX with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.