Drive or Fly: Bruceton, TN to Bartlett, TN?

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 MKL–MEM. At 121 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 25m

Distance

121.1 mi

Total Cost

$62

CO2

49 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$27

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 44m

13m in the air

Air Distance

108 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

28 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Bruceton, TN → MKL 72m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 13m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MEM → Bartlett, TN 19m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

Bruceton, TN MKL — McKellar-Sipes Regional Airport 48 mi, ~72m drive

Bartlett, TN MEM — Memphis International Airport 13 mi, ~19m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MKL and MEM. 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

4h 27m

2h 47m on rail

Total Cost

$23

CO2

7 kg

Route

City of New Orleans

Door-to-Door Timeline

Bruceton, TN → Fulton Amtrak Station 30m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 167m

Arrival 10m

Memphis → Bartlett, TN 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $23) $23

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

Stations

From Fulton Amtrak Station 0 mi, ~30m drive

To Memphis 0 mi, ~30m 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

2h 55m

1h 30m on road

Total Cost

CO2

7 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Bruceton, TN → Jackson (Mega Mart) (JXT6) 30m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 90m

Arrival 10m

Memphis Bus Station (MEM6) → Bartlett, TN 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $9) $9

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

Stations

From JXT6 — Jackson (Mega Mart) 0 mi, ~30m drive

To MEM6 — Memphis Bus Station 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	Train	Bus
Door-to-door time	2h 25m	3h 44m	4h 27m	2h 55m
Total cost (1 person)	$62	$124	$23	$9
Carbon footprint	49 kg CO₂	28 kg CO₂	7 kg CO₂	7 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, 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 15, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Bruceton, TN to Bartlett, TN with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.