Drive or Fly: Santa Fe, NM to Belen, NM?

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 SAF–ABQ. At 96 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

1h 46m

Distance

96.1 mi

Total Cost

$56

CO2

39 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$21

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 7m

10m in the air

Air Distance

85 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

22 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Santa Fe, NM → SAF 15m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 10m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

ABQ → Belen, NM 42m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Santa Fe, NM SAF — Santa Fe Municipal Airport 10 mi, ~15m drive

Belen, NM ABQ — Albuquerque International Sunport 28 mi, ~42m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between SAF and ABQ. 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

2h 44m

30m on road

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

Greyhound US1194S

Door-to-Door Timeline

Santa Fe, NM → Bernalillo (Rail Runner Station) (BDL6) 64m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 30m

Arrival 10m

Albuquerque Bus Station (ABQ6) → Belen, NM 45m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $2) $2

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

Stations

From BDL6 — Bernalillo (Rail Runner Station) 42 mi, ~64m drive

To ABQ6 — Albuquerque Bus Station 30 mi, ~45m 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	1h 46m	3h 7m	2h 44m
Total cost (1 person)	$56	$123	$2
Carbon footprint	39 kg CO₂	22 kg CO₂	1 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 13, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Santa Fe, NM to Belen, NM with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.