Drive or Fly: Waco, TX to Dallas, 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 ACT–DAL. At 95 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

1h 43m

Distance

95.2 mi

Total Cost

$56

CO2

38 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$21

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 31m

11m in the air

Air Distance

88 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

22 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Waco, TX → ACT 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 11m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DAL → Dallas, TX 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

Waco, TX ACT — Waco Regional Airport 7 mi, ~10m drive

Dallas, TX DAL — Dallas Love Field 5 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ACT and DAL. 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

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

4h 51m

3h 36m on rail

Total Cost

$20

CO2

6 kg

Route

Texas Eagle

Door-to-Door Timeline

Waco, TX → Mcgregor Amtrak 25m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 216m

Arrival 10m

Dallas → Dallas, TX 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $20) $20

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

Stations

From Mcgregor Amtrak 17 mi, ~25m drive

To Dallas 0 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~6/week

+ Spacious seating with legroom and power outlets

+ Walk around freely during the trip

+ No driving fatigue — relax or work en route

+ Much lower carbon footprint than driving or flying

− Limited schedule — about 6 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	1h 43m	2h 31m	4h 51m
Total cost (1 person)	$56	$124	$20
Carbon footprint	38 kg CO₂	22 kg CO₂	6 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: Amtrak 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 12, 2026.

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