Drive or Fly: Dayton, TN to Clarksville, 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 CHA–BNA. At 204 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

3h 22m

Distance

204.6 mi

Total Cost

$80

CO2

83 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$45

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 19m

18m in the air

Air Distance

149 mi

Total Cost

$181

CO2

38 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Dayton, TN → CHA 50m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 18m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BNA → Clarksville, TN 71m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Dayton, TN CHA — Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport (Lovell Field) 34 mi, ~50m drive

Clarksville, TN BNA — Nashville International Airport 47 mi, ~71m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between CHA and BNA. 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly
Door-to-door time	3h 22m	4h 19m
Total cost (1 person)	$80	$181
Carbon footprint	83 kg CO₂	38 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

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 12, 2026.

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