Checked 11×
Is it cheaper to fly or drive a Tesla from Austin, TX to Albuquerque, NM?
Too close to callYou keep
$232
In the car
12h 32m
Car is calmer by
20%
Car 43 · Flight 54
697 mi by road
5h 6m by air, only 1h 50m of it flying. 1 in 5 run late.
How this was priced
Austin, TX to Albuquerque, NM is 697 mi by road — 12h 32m of driving and 4 Supercharger stops — against 5h 6m door to door by air. It's close to even: driving costs $327 and flying $559. On the 0-100 stress scale the drive scores 43 and the flight 54.
Priced with fast charging at $0.50 per kWh and 3.7 miles per kWh, airfare from a $95 base plus $0.13 a mile per person, one $35 bag and a $30 ride at each end. Airfare is modelled from flight distance, not a live fare quote, so treat it as a typical fare rather than today's price. Rates last reviewed 14 September 2026; this trip last priced 6 October 2026.
Checking the route…
Check this yourself
- Distance and drive time come from live road routing, not straight lines.
- Every rate used is listed on Cost analysis and sourced on Sources.
- This trip as raw data: austin-tx-to-albuquerque-nm.json
- Last recalculated 2026-10-06 · checked 11×. Costs are modelled estimates, not quotes.
Questions about this trip
Is it cheaper to drive a Tesla or fly from Austin, TX to Albuquerque, NM?
Driving costs about $327 and flying about $559, so driving is cheaper by $232. The drive counts charging and a hotel night if it takes more than a day. The flight counts fares, bags, airport food on long flights and the rides at both ends.
How long does each take, door to door?
The drive is about 12h 32m including 4 Supercharger stops. Flying is about 5h 6m, counting the trip to the airport, security, the flight and getting to your destination.
How many Supercharger stops will I need?
About 4 Supercharger stops for 697 mi, assuming you leave full and charge to roughly 80% at each stop. Real range drops in cold weather, rain and at high speed.
How accurate are these numbers?
They're modelled estimates, not quotes. Airfares change daily, so check a real fare before booking. This trip was last priced 6 October 2026. Every rate and where it comes from is on the Sources page.