Drive or Fly: San Antonio, TX to Amarillo, 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 SAT–AMA. At 506 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

8h 52m

Distance

506.9 mi

Total Cost

$148

CO2

205 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$113

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

− Driver fatigue on longer stretches

− Wear and tear on vehicle

− Fuel price fluctuations

Plan the drive

Fly

Door to Door

3h 16m

53m in the air

Air Distance

445 mi

Total Cost

$193

CO2

114 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

San Antonio, TX → SAT 12m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 53m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

AMA → Amarillo, TX 11m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $138) $138

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

San Antonio, TX SAT — San Antonio International Airport 8 mi, ~12m drive

Amarillo, TX AMA — Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport 7 mi, ~11m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between SAT and AMA. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 5h 36m compared to driving

+ 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

12h 10m

11h 25m on road

Total Cost

$49

CO2

26 kg

Route

Greyhound US1184s

Door-to-Door Timeline

San Antonio, TX → San Antonio Bus Station (SNT6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 685m

Arrival 10m

Amarillo Multimodal Transfer Sta (AMR6) → Amarillo, TX 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $49) $49

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

Stations

From SNT6 — San Antonio Bus Station 0 mi, ~10m drive

To AMR6 — Amarillo Multimodal Transfer Sta 2 mi, ~10m 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	Bus
Door-to-door time	8h 52m	3h 16m	12h 10m
Total cost (1 person)	$148	$193	$49
Carbon footprint	205 kg CO₂	114 kg CO₂	26 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 12, 2026.

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