Drive or Fly: Shiprock, NM to Santa Fe, 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 CEZ–SAF. At 237 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

4h 39m

Distance

237.7 mi

Total Cost

$87

CO2

96 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$52

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 30m

21m in the air

Air Distance

171 mi

Total Cost

$182

CO2

44 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Shiprock, NM → CEZ 54m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 21m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SAF → Santa Fe, NM 15m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $127) $127

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Shiprock, NM CEZ — Cortez Municipal Airport 36 mi, ~54m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between CEZ and SAF. 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

5h 4m

2h 50m on road

Total Cost

$15

CO2

8 kg

Route

Greyhound US1194S

Door-to-Door Timeline

Shiprock, NM → Farmington (Animas Valley Mall) (FYM6) 45m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 170m

Arrival 10m

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

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $15) $15

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

Stations

From FYM6 — Farmington (Animas Valley Mall) 30 mi, ~45m drive

To BDL6 — Bernalillo (Rail Runner Station) 42 mi, ~64m 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 39m	3h 30m	5h 4m
Total cost (1 person)	$87	$182	$15
Carbon footprint	96 kg CO₂	44 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

237.7 mi 4h 38m

via US 550, US 64, I 25

Shortest (+17 min)

228.3 mi 4h 55m

via US 550, NM 96, US 64

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