Drive or Fly: Cartersville, GA to Atlanta, 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–ATL. At 43 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

54m

Distance

43.5 mi

Total Cost

$45

CO2

18 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$10

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 8m

4m in the air

Air Distance

37 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

10 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Cartersville, GA → PDK 52m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 4m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

ATL → Atlanta, GA 12m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

Cartersville, GA PDK — DeKalb Peachtree Airport 35 mi, ~52m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between PDK and ATL. 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 35m

35m on road

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

FlixBus 2512

Door-to-Door Timeline

Cartersville, GA → Marietta/Kennesaw (MRI6) 25m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 35m

Arrival 10m

Atlanta Bus Station (ATD6) → Atlanta, GA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $2) $2

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

Stations

From MRI6 — Marietta/Kennesaw 17 mi, ~25m drive

To ATD6 — Atlanta Bus Station 0 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~14/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

− Travel time longer than driving

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Bus
Door-to-door time	54m	3h 8m	1h 35m
Total cost (1 person)	$45	$121	$2
Carbon footprint	18 kg CO₂	10 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.

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