Checked 5×
Is it cheaper to fly or drive a Tesla from San Antonio, TX to McAllen, TX?
Take the TeslaYou keep
$226
In the car
4h
Car is calmer by
79%
Car 11 · Flight 52
239 mi by road
4h 25m by air, only 1h 9m of it flying. 1 in 5 run late.
How this was priced
San Antonio, TX to McAllen, TX is 239 mi by road — 4h of driving and 1 Supercharger stop — against 4h 25m door to door by air. Driving is cheaper: taking the Tesla costs $54 against $280 to fly, a saving of $226. On the 0-100 stress scale the drive scores 11 and the flight 52.
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 29 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: san-antonio-tx-to-mcallen-tx.json
- Last recalculated 2026-10-29 · checked 5×. Costs are modelled estimates, not quotes.
Questions about this trip
Is it cheaper to drive a Tesla or fly from San Antonio, TX to McAllen, TX?
Driving costs about $54 and flying about $280, so driving is cheaper by $226. 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 4h including 1 Supercharger stop. Flying is about 4h 25m, counting the trip to the airport, security, the flight and getting to your destination.
How many Supercharger stops will I need?
About 1 Supercharger stop for 239 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 29 October 2026. Every rate and where it comes from is on the Sources page.