Drive or Fly: Ruidoso Downs, NM to Santa Fe, 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 ROW–SAF. At 194 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

4h 22m

Distance

194.6 mi

Total Cost

$78

CO2

79 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$43

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 8m

20m in the air

Air Distance

164 mi

Total Cost

$127

CO2

42 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Ruidoso Downs, NM → ROW 93m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 20m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SAF → Santa Fe, NM 15m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $127) $127

Airports

Ruidoso Downs, NM ROW — Roswell Air Center Airport 62 mi, ~93m drive

Santa Fe, NM SAF — Santa Fe Municipal Airport 10 mi, ~15m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ROW and SAF. 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	4h 22m	4h 8m
Total cost (1 person)	$78	$127
Carbon footprint	79 kg CO₂	42 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 13, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Ruidoso Downs, NM to Santa Fe, NM with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.