Drive or Fly: San Antonio, TX to Kilgore, 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–GGG. At 333 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:
Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

6h 15m

Distance

333.8 mi

Total Cost

$109

CO2

135 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$74
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 2m

36m in the air

Air Distance

296 mi

Total Cost

$187

CO2

76 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

San Antonio, TX → SAT 12m
Check-in & Security 90m
Flight 36m
Arrival & Baggage 30m
GGG → Kilgore, TX 14m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $132) $132
Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

San Antonio, TX SAT — San Antonio International Airport 8 mi, ~12m drive
Kilgore, TX GGG — East Texas Regional Airport 10 mi, ~14m drive

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Saves about 3h 13m 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

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

12h 37m

11h 30m on rail

Total Cost

$61

CO2

18 kg

Route

Texas Eagle

Door-to-Door Timeline

San Antonio, TX → San Antonio Amtrak Station 10m
Boarding 30m
Train ride 690m
Arrival 10m
Longview → Kilgore, TX 17m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $61) $61

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

Stations

From San Antonio Amtrak Station 1 mi, ~10m drive
To Longview 11 mi, ~17m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~6/week

+ Spacious seating with legroom and power outlets
+ Walk around freely during the trip
+ Scenic views along the route
+ No driving fatigue — relax or work en route
+ Much lower carbon footprint than driving or flying
Limited schedule — about 6 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 6h 15m 3h 2m 12h 37m
Total cost (1 person) $109 $187 $61
Carbon footprint 135 kg CO2 76 kg CO2 18 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 12, 2026.

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