Drive or Fly: Taos, NM to Albuquerque, 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 TSM–ABQ. At 131 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 51m

Distance

131.6 mi

Total Cost

$64

CO2

53 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$29

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 33m

13m in the air

Air Distance

110 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

28 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Taos, NM → TSM 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 13m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

ABQ → Albuquerque, NM 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

Taos, NM TSM — Taos Regional Airport 7 mi, ~10m drive

Albuquerque, NM ABQ — Albuquerque International Sunport 4 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between TSM 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

6h 12m

3h 50m on road

Total Cost

$19

CO2

10 kg

Route

Greyhound US1140

Door-to-Door Timeline

Taos, NM → Raton (Amtrak Station) (RAT6) 107m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 230m

Arrival 10m

Albuquerque Bus Station (ABQ6) → Albuquerque, NM 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $19) $19

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

Stations

From RAT6 — Raton (Amtrak Station) 72 mi, ~107m drive

To ABQ6 — Albuquerque Bus Station 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	2h 51m	2h 33m	6h 12m
Total cost (1 person)	$64	$124	$19
Carbon footprint	53 kg CO₂	28 kg CO₂	10 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 Taos, NM to Albuquerque, NM with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.