Drive or Fly: Horn Lake, MS to Carthage, MS?

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 MEM–AEX. At 309 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

5h 54m

Distance

309 mi

Total Cost

$103

CO2

125 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$68

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 21m

30m in the air

Air Distance

251 mi

Total Cost

$185

CO2

64 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Horn Lake, MS → MEM 11m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 30m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

AEX → Carthage, MS 100m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $130) $130

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Horn Lake, MS MEM — Memphis International Airport 7 mi, ~11m drive

Carthage, MS AEX — Alexandria International Airport 66 mi, ~100m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MEM and AEX. 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

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

8h 17m

5h 50m on rail

Total Cost

$49

CO2

14 kg

Route

City of New Orleans

Door-to-Door Timeline

Horn Lake, MS → Memphis 18m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 350m

Arrival 10m

Brookhaven Amtrak Station → Carthage, MS 89m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $49) $49

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

Stations

From Memphis 12 mi, ~18m drive

To Brookhaven Amtrak Station 59 mi, ~89m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~4/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 4 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	5h 54m	4h 21m	8h 17m
Total cost (1 person)	$103	$185	$49
Carbon footprint	125 kg CO₂	64 kg CO₂	14 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 15, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Horn Lake, MS to Carthage, MS with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.