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Drive or Fly: Jacksonville, AL to Florence, AL?

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 BHM–MSL. At 146 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:
Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 22m

Distance

146.1 mi

Total Cost

$67

CO2

59 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$32
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 54m

15m in the air

Air Distance

129 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

33 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Jacksonville, AL → BHM 89m
Check-in & Security 90m
Flight 15m
Arrival & Baggage 30m
MSL → Florence, AL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

Jacksonville, AL BHM — Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport 60 mi, ~89m drive
Florence, AL MSL — Northwest Alabama Regional Airport 5 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between BHM and MSL. 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

6h 48m

5h 55m on road

Total Cost

$15

CO2

8 kg

Route

Greyhound US0622s

Door-to-Door Timeline

Jacksonville, AL → Anniston (Amtrak Train Station) (ANS6) 18m
Boarding 15m
Bus ride 355m
Arrival 10m
Florence (Wavaho Gas Station) (FLA6) → Florence, AL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $15) $15

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

Stations

From ANS6 — Anniston (Amtrak Train Station) 12 mi, ~18m drive
To FLA6 — Florence (Wavaho Gas Station) 3 mi, ~10m 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 3h 22m 3h 54m 6h 48m
Total cost (1 person) $67 $125 $15
Carbon footprint 59 kg CO2 33 kg CO2 8 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 18, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest
146.1 mi 3h 22m

via AL 157, US 278, US 431

Alternative (+31 min)
168.9 mi 3h 53m

via US 431, US 72 Alternate; AL 20, US 278; US 431

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Jacksonville, AL to Florence, AL with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.