Drive or Fly: Thoreau, NM to Gallup, 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 GUP–GUP. At 32 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

31m

Distance

32.2 mi

Total Cost

$42

CO2

13 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$7

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 3m

4m in the air

Air Distance

30 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

8 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Thoreau, NM → GUP 49m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 4m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

GUP → Gallup, NM 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

Thoreau, NM GUP — Gallup Municipal Airport 33 mi, ~49m drive

Gallup, NM GUP — Gallup Municipal Airport 3 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between GUP and GUP. 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

2h 24m

1h 5m on road

Total Cost

CO2

4 kg

Route

Greyhound US1210

Door-to-Door Timeline

Thoreau, NM → Grants (Shell) (GNS6) 44m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 65m

Arrival 10m

Gallup (NKS Truck Stop) (GLL6) → Gallup, NM 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $7) $7

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

Stations

From GNS6 — Grants (Shell) 29 mi, ~44m drive

To GLL6 — Gallup (NKS Truck Stop) 5 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~15/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

− Travel time longer than driving

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Bus
Door-to-door time	31m	3h 3m	2h 24m
Total cost (1 person)	$42	$121	$7
Carbon footprint	13 kg CO₂	8 kg CO₂	4 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 13, 2026.

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