Drive or Fly: San Antonio, TX to Waelder, 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–AUS. At 77 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 25m

Distance

77.4 mi

Total Cost

$52

CO2

31 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$17

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 23m

9m in the air

Air Distance

74 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

19 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

San Antonio, TX → SAT 12m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 9m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

AUS → Waelder, TX 62m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

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

Waelder, TX AUS — Austin Bergstrom International Airport 41 mi, ~62m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between SAT and AUS. 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

3h 25m

1h 34m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

3 kg

Route

Texas Eagle

Door-to-Door Timeline

San Antonio, TX → San Antonio Amtrak Station 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 94m

Arrival 10m

San Marcos Amtrak → Waelder, TX 61m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $9) $9

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

Stations

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

To San Marcos Amtrak 41 mi, ~61m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~9/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 9 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

2h 31m

55m on road

Total Cost

CO2

3 kg

Route

FlixBus US1164

Door-to-Door Timeline

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

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 55m

Arrival 10m

San Marcos (CARTS) (SMT6) → Waelder, TX 61m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $5) $5

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

Stations

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

To SMT6 — San Marcos (CARTS) 41 mi, ~61m 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	1h 25m	3h 23m	3h 25m	2h 31m
Total cost (1 person)	$52	$123	$9	$5
Carbon footprint	31 kg CO₂	19 kg CO₂	3 kg CO₂	3 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 16, 2026.

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