Drive or Fly: San Antonio, TX to Woodway, 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–ACT. At 176 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 18m

Distance

176.6 mi

Total Cost

$74

CO2

71 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$39

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 43m

20m in the air

Air Distance

163 mi

Total Cost

$127

CO2

42 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

San Antonio, TX → SAT 12m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 20m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

ACT → Woodway, TX 11m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $127) $127

Airports

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

Woodway, TX ACT — Waco Regional Airport 7 mi, ~11m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between SAT and ACT. 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

6h 39m

4h 59m on rail

Total Cost

$31

CO2

10 kg

Route

Texas Eagle

Door-to-Door Timeline

San Antonio, TX → San Antonio Amtrak Station 30m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 299m

Arrival 10m

Mcgregor Amtrak → Woodway, TX 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $31) $31

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

Stations

From San Antonio Amtrak Station 0 mi, ~30m drive

To Mcgregor Amtrak 0 mi, ~30m 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

4h 55m

3h 30m on road

Total Cost

$18

CO2

10 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

San Antonio, TX → San Antonio Bus Station (SNT6) 30m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 210m

Arrival 10m

Waco Bus Stop (WAC6) → Woodway, TX 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $18) $18

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

Stations

From SNT6 — San Antonio Bus Station 0 mi, ~30m drive

To WAC6 — Waco Bus Stop 0 mi, ~30m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~21/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	Train	Bus
Door-to-door time	3h 18m	2h 43m	6h 39m	4h 55m
Total cost (1 person)	$74	$127	$31	$18
Carbon footprint	71 kg CO₂	42 kg CO₂	10 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 17, 2026.

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