Drive or Fly: West Sedona, AZ to Lake Havasu City, 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 FLG–HII. At 236 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

4h 33m

Distance

236 mi

Total Cost

$87

CO2

95 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$52

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 57m

17m in the air

Air Distance

145 mi

Total Cost

$181

CO2

37 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

West Sedona, AZ → FLG 30m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 17m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

HII → Lake Havasu City, AZ 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

West Sedona, AZ FLG — Flagstaff Pulliam Airport 20 mi, ~30m drive

Lake Havasu City, AZ HII — Lake Havasu City Airport 6 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between FLG and HII. 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

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

5h 25m

3h 24m on rail

Total Cost

$34

CO2

10 kg

Route

Southwest Chief

Door-to-Door Timeline

West Sedona, AZ → Flagstaff 37m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 204m

Arrival 10m

Needles Amtrak → Lake Havasu City, AZ 44m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $34) $34

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

Stations

From Flagstaff 24 mi, ~37m drive

To Needles Amtrak 29 mi, ~44m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~4/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 4 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	4h 33m	2h 57m	5h 25m
Total cost (1 person)	$87	$181	$34
Carbon footprint	95 kg CO₂	37 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: 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 13, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from West Sedona, AZ to Lake Havasu City, AZ with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.