Drive or Fly: Athens, GA to Sandy Springs, GA?

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 PDK–PDK. At 64 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 24m

Distance

64.5 mi

Total Cost

$49

CO2

26 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$14

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 37m

7m in the air

Air Distance

57 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

15 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Athens, GA → PDK 80m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 7m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

PDK → Sandy Springs, GA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

Athens, GA PDK — DeKalb Peachtree Airport 53 mi, ~80m drive

Sandy Springs, GA PDK — DeKalb Peachtree Airport 6 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between PDK and PDK. 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

2h 55m

1h 15m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

4 kg

Route

Crescent

Door-to-Door Timeline

Athens, GA → Gainesville Amtrak Station 30m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 75m

Arrival 10m

Atlanta → Sandy Springs, GA 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $9) $9

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

Stations

From Gainesville Amtrak Station 0 mi, ~30m drive

To Atlanta 0 mi, ~30m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~7/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 7 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 24m	3h 37m	2h 55m
Total cost (1 person)	$49	$122	$9
Carbon footprint	26 kg CO₂	15 kg CO₂	4 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 18, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

64.5 mi 1h 24m

via US 29; GA 8; GA 316, I 85, I 285

Alternative (+7 min)

72.4 mi 1h 31m

via I 85, GA 15 Alternate, I 285

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Athens, GA to Sandy Springs, GA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.