Drive or Fly: Dickson, TN to East Chattanooga, 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 BNA–CHA. At 172 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

2h 51m

Distance

172.4 mi

Total Cost

$73

CO2

70 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$38

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 27m

17m in the air

Air Distance

139 mi

Total Cost

$126

CO2

35 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Dickson, TN → BNA 60m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 17m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

CHA → East Chattanooga, TN 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Airports

Dickson, TN BNA — Nashville International Airport 40 mi, ~60m drive

East Chattanooga, TN CHA — Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport (Lovell Field) 3 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between BNA and CHA. 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly
Door-to-door time	2h 51m	3h 27m
Total cost (1 person)	$73	$126
Carbon footprint	70 kg CO₂	35 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 13, 2026.

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