Drive or Fly: Saint Johns, AZ to Chinle, 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 SOW–GUP. At 134 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

Distance

134.9 mi

Total Cost

$65

CO2

54 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$30

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 48m

14m in the air

Air Distance

114 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

29 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Saint Johns, AZ → SOW 61m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 14m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

GUP → Chinle, AZ 93m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

Saint Johns, AZ SOW — Show Low Regional Airport 41 mi, ~61m drive

Chinle, AZ GUP — Gallup Municipal Airport 62 mi, ~93m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between SOW and GUP. 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

4h 48m

1h 33m on road

Total Cost

CO2

5 kg

Route

Greyhound US1210

Door-to-Door Timeline

Saint Johns, AZ → Holbrook (Circle K) (HBH6) 80m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 93m

Arrival 10m

Gallup (NKS Truck Stop) (GLL6) → Chinle, AZ 90m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $9) $9

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

Stations

From HBH6 — Holbrook (Circle K) 53 mi, ~80m drive

To GLL6 — Gallup (NKS Truck Stop) 60 mi, ~90m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~15/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

− Travel time longer than driving

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Bus
Door-to-door time	3h	4h 48m	4h 48m
Total cost (1 person)	$65	$125	$9
Carbon footprint	54 kg CO₂	29 kg CO₂	5 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 17, 2026.

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