Drive or Fly: Chapel Hill, 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 102 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

2h 3m

Distance

102.4 mi

Total Cost

$58

CO2

41 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$23

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 5m

10m in the air

Air Distance

83 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

21 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Chapel Hill, TN → MKL 36m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 10m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MEM → Bartlett, TN 19m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Chapel Hill, TN MKL — McKellar-Sipes Regional Airport 24 mi, ~36m 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 26m

2h 5m on rail

Total Cost

$16

CO2

5 kg

Route

City of New Orleans

Door-to-Door Timeline

Chapel Hill, TN → Newbern-Dyersburg Amtrak Station 84m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 125m

Arrival 10m

Memphis → Bartlett, TN 17m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $16) $16

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

Stations

From Newbern-Dyersburg Amtrak Station 56 mi, ~84m drive

To Memphis 12 mi, ~17m 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 38m

1h 30m on road

Total Cost

CO2

5 kg

Route

Greyhound US0601

Door-to-Door Timeline

Chapel Hill, TN → Jackson (Mega Mart) (JXT6) 25m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 90m

Arrival 10m

Memphis Bus Station (MEM6) → Bartlett, TN 18m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $9) $9

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

Stations

From JXT6 — Jackson (Mega Mart) 17 mi, ~25m drive

To MEM6 — Memphis Bus Station 12 mi, ~18m 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 3m	3h 5m	4h 26m	2h 38m
Total cost (1 person)	$58	$123	$16	$9
Carbon footprint	41 kg CO₂	21 kg CO₂	5 kg CO₂	5 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 13, 2026.

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