Drive or Fly: Carthage, MS to Olive Branch, MS?

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 AEX–MEM. At 322 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

6h 9m

Distance

322.4 mi

Total Cost

$107

CO2

130 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$72

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

4h 26m

31m in the air

Air Distance

255 mi

Total Cost

$185

CO2

65 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Carthage, MS → AEX 100m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 31m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MEM → Olive Branch, MS 15m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $130) $130

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Carthage, MS AEX — Alexandria International Airport 66 mi, ~100m drive

Olive Branch, MS MEM — Memphis International Airport 10 mi, ~15m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between AEX 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

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

8h 50m

6h 15m on rail

Total Cost

$49

CO2

14 kg

Route

City of New Orleans

Door-to-Door Timeline

Carthage, MS → Brookhaven Amtrak Station 89m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 375m

Arrival 10m

Memphis → Olive Branch, MS 26m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $49) $49

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

Stations

From Brookhaven Amtrak Station 59 mi, ~89m drive

To Memphis 18 mi, ~26m 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	6h 9m	4h 26m	8h 50m
Total cost (1 person)	$107	$185	$49
Carbon footprint	130 kg CO₂	65 kg CO₂	14 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 13, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Carthage, MS to Olive Branch, MS with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.