Drive or Fly: Santa Teresa, NM to Las Cruces, 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 ELP–LRU. At 39 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

50m

Distance

39.8 mi

Total Cost

$44

CO2

16 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$9

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 41m

4m in the air

Air Distance

33 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

8 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Santa Teresa, NM → ELP 24m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 4m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

LRU → Las Cruces, NM 13m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

Santa Teresa, NM ELP — El Paso International Airport 16 mi, ~24m drive

Las Cruces, NM LRU — Las Cruces International Airport 9 mi, ~13m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ELP and LRU. 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

1h 47m

55m on road

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

Greyhound US1190S

Door-to-Door Timeline

Santa Teresa, NM → El Paso Bus Station (W San Antonio St) (ELP6) 17m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 55m

Arrival 10m

Las Cruces(Road Runner Transit) (LAC6) → Las Cruces, NM 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $5) $5

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

Stations

From ELP6 — El Paso Bus Station (W San Antonio St) 11 mi, ~17m drive

To LAC6 — Las Cruces(Road Runner Transit) 0 mi, ~10m 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	50m	2h 41m	1h 47m
Total cost (1 person)	$44	$121	$5
Carbon footprint	16 kg CO₂	8 kg CO₂	2 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 15, 2026.

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