Drive or Fly: Atlanta, GA to DeKalb County, 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 ATL–PDK. At 10 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

18m

Distance

10.1 mi

Total Cost

$37

CO2

4 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$2

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 26m

1m in the air

Air Distance

9 mi

Total Cost

$120

CO2

2 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Atlanta, GA → ATL 12m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 1m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

PDK → DeKalb County, GA 13m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $120) $120

Airports

Atlanta, GA ATL — Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport 8 mi, ~12m drive

DeKalb County, GA PDK — DeKalb Peachtree Airport 8 mi, ~13m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ATL 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

1h 40m

15m on road

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Atlanta, GA → Atlanta Bus Station (ATD6) 30m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 15m

Arrival 10m

Atlanta Downtown (Civic Center) (4AT) → DeKalb County, GA 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $0) $0

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

Stations

From ATD6 — Atlanta Bus Station 0 mi, ~30m drive

To 4AT — Atlanta Downtown (Civic Center) 0 mi, ~30m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~7/week

+ Usually the cheapest option

+ Wi-Fi and power outlets on board

+ No driving fatigue — relax or work en route

+ Much lower carbon footprint than driving or flying

− Limited schedule — about 7 trips per week

− Travel time longer than driving

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Bus
Door-to-door time	18m	2h 26m	1h 40m
Total cost (1 person)	$37	$120	$0
Carbon footprint	4 kg CO₂	2 kg CO₂	1 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: FlixBus 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

10.1 mi 18m

via GA 154

Shortest (+2 min)

10 mi 20m

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Atlanta, GA to DeKalb County, GA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.