Drive or Fly: Dalton, GA to Marietta, 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–PDK. At 95 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 59m

Distance

95.4 mi

Total Cost

$56

CO2

39 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$21

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 15m

10m in the air

Air Distance

80 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

20 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Dalton, GA → PDK 102m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 10m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

PDK → Marietta, GA 23m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Dalton, GA PDK — DeKalb Peachtree Airport 68 mi, ~102m drive

Marietta, GA PDK — DeKalb Peachtree Airport 15 mi, ~23m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between PDK 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

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

3h 44m

1h 58m on rail

Total Cost

$16

CO2

5 kg

Route

Crescent

Door-to-Door Timeline

Dalton, GA → Toccoa Amtrak Station 45m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 118m

Arrival 10m

Atlanta → Marietta, GA 21m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $16) $16

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

Stations

From Toccoa Amtrak Station 30 mi, ~45m drive

To Atlanta 14 mi, ~21m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~7/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 7 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	1h 59m	4h 15m	3h 44m
Total cost (1 person)	$56	$123	$16
Carbon footprint	39 kg CO₂	20 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 — 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 17, 2026.

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