Drive or Fly: East Chattanooga, TN to Oak Ridge, 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–TYS. At 98 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 2m

Distance

98.6 mi

Total Cost

$57

CO2

40 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$22

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

2h 51m

10m in the air

Air Distance

85 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

22 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

East Chattanooga, TN → CHA 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 10m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

TYS → Oak Ridge, TN 31m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

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

Oak Ridge, TN TYS — McGhee Tyson Airport 21 mi, ~31m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between CHA and TYS. 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

3h 4m

1h on road

Total Cost

CO2

3 kg

Route

Greyhound US0110

Door-to-Door Timeline

East Chattanooga, TN → Athens (Exxon) (ATS6) 66m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 60m

Arrival 10m

Knoxville Area Transit Bus Stop (KNO6) → Oak Ridge, TN 33m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $6) $6

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

Stations

From ATS6 — Athens (Exxon) 44 mi, ~66m drive

To KNO6 — Knoxville Area Transit Bus Stop 22 mi, ~33m 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	Bus
Door-to-door time	2h 2m	2h 51m	3h 4m
Total cost (1 person)	$57	$123	$6
Carbon footprint	40 kg CO₂	22 kg CO₂	3 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: 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 15, 2026.

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