Drive or Fly: Elizabethton, TN to Collierville, 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 TRI–MEM. At 495 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

9h 12m

Distance

495.4 mi

Total Cost

$144

CO2

200 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$109

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

− Driver fatigue on longer stretches

− Wear and tear on vehicle

− Fuel price fluctuations

Plan the drive

Fly

Door to Door

3h 38m

51m in the air

Air Distance

428 mi

Total Cost

$192

CO2

109 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Elizabethton, TN → TRI 21m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 51m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MEM → Collierville, TN 26m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $137) $137

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Elizabethton, TN TRI — Tri-Cities Regional TN/VA Airport 14 mi, ~21m drive

Collierville, TN MEM — Memphis International Airport 18 mi, ~26m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between TRI and MEM. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 5h 34m compared to driving

+ 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	9h 12m	3h 38m
Total cost (1 person)	$144	$192
Carbon footprint	200 kg CO₂	109 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 17, 2026.

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