Drive or Fly: Tucson, AZ to San Manuel, AZ?

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 TUS–TUS. At 49 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 19m

Distance

49.8 mi

Total Cost

$46

CO2

20 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$11

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 12m

4m in the air

Air Distance

31 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

8 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Tucson, AZ → TUS 11m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 4m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

TUS → San Manuel, AZ 57m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

Tucson, AZ TUS — Tucson International Airport 7 mi, ~11m drive

San Manuel, AZ TUS — Tucson International Airport 38 mi, ~57m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between TUS and TUS. 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 39m

20m on road

Total Cost

CO2

0 kg

Route

FlixBus 2042

Door-to-Door Timeline

Tucson, AZ → Tucson (6th Street Garage - University of Arizona, Tucson) (UOA) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 20m

Arrival 10m

Tucson (East) (0TE) → San Manuel, AZ 44m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $1) $1

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

Stations

From UOA — Tucson (6th Street Garage - University of Arizona, Tucson) 2 mi, ~10m drive

To 0TE — Tucson (East) 30 mi, ~44m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~6/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 6 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	1h 19m	3h 12m	1h 39m
Total cost (1 person)	$46	$121	$1
Carbon footprint	20 kg CO₂	8 kg CO₂	0 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 18, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Tucson, AZ to San Manuel, AZ with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.