Drive or Fly: Spring Valley, TX to Austin, 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 IAH–AUS. At 153 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 49m

Distance

153.1 mi

Total Cost

$69

CO2

62 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$34

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 52m

17m in the air

Air Distance

138 mi

Total Cost

$126

CO2

35 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Spring Valley, TX → IAH 25m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 17m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

AUS → Austin, TX 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Airports

Spring Valley, TX IAH — George Bush Intercontinental Airport 17 mi, ~25m drive

Austin, TX AUS — Austin Bergstrom International Airport 7 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between IAH and AUS. 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly
Door-to-door time	2h 49m	2h 52m
Total cost (1 person)	$69	$126
Carbon footprint	62 kg CO₂	35 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

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

153.1 mi 2h 48m

via TX 71, I 10; US 90

Alternative (+13 min)

154.8 mi 3h 2m

via US 290, 290 Toll, Bingle Road

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Spring Valley, TX to Austin, TX with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.