Drive or Fly: Santa Fe, NM to Waterflow, 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–CEZ. At 226 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

4h 23m

Distance

226.5 mi

Total Cost

$85

CO2

92 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$50

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 32m

19m in the air

Air Distance

160 mi

Total Cost

$181

CO2

41 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Santa Fe, NM → SAF 15m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 19m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

CEZ → Waterflow, NM 58m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

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

Waterflow, NM CEZ — Cortez Municipal Airport 38 mi, ~58m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between SAF and CEZ. 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

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

4h 47m

2h 50m on road

Total Cost

$15

CO2

8 kg

Route

Greyhound US1194S

Door-to-Door Timeline

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

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 170m

Arrival 10m

Farmington (Animas Valley Mall) (FYM6) → Waterflow, NM 28m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $15) $15

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

Stations

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

To FYM6 — Farmington (Animas Valley Mall) 18 mi, ~28m 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	4h 23m	3h 32m	4h 47m
Total cost (1 person)	$85	$181	$15
Carbon footprint	92 kg CO₂	41 kg CO₂	8 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 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

226.5 mi 4h 22m

via US 550, I 25, US 64 Business

Shortest (+18 min)

216.5 mi 4h 40m

via US 550, US 84; US 285, NM 96

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