Drive or Fly: San Antonio, TX to Missouri City, 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–HOU. At 194 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

3h 29m

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

2h 57m

21m in the air

Air Distance

178 mi

Total Cost

$127

CO2

45 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

San Antonio, TX → SAT 12m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 21m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

HOU → Missouri City, TX 24m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $127) $127

Airports

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

Missouri City, TX HOU — William P. Hobby Airport 16 mi, ~24m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between SAT 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

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

5h 57m

4h 45m on rail

Total Cost

$38

CO2

11 kg

Route

Sunset Limited

Door-to-Door Timeline

San Antonio, TX → San Antonio Amtrak Station 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 285m

Arrival 10m

Houston → Missouri City, TX 22m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $38) $38

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

Stations

From San Antonio Amtrak Station 1 mi, ~10m drive

To Houston 14 mi, ~22m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~2/week

+ Spacious seating with legroom and power outlets

+ Walk around freely during the trip

+ No driving fatigue — relax or work en route

+ Much lower carbon footprint than driving or flying

− Limited schedule — about 2 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

4h 26m

3h 40m on road

Total Cost

$20

CO2

10 kg

Route

FlixBus US1114

Door-to-Door Timeline

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

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 220m

Arrival 10m

Houston (Agencia Autobuses) (HOS6) → Missouri City, TX 11m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $20) $20

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

Stations

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

To HOS6 — Houston (Agencia Autobuses) 7 mi, ~11m 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	Train	Bus
Door-to-door time	3h 29m	2h 57m	5h 57m	4h 26m
Total cost (1 person)	$78	$127	$38	$20
Carbon footprint	79 kg CO₂	45 kg CO₂	11 kg CO₂	10 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, 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 Missouri City, TX with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.