Drive or Fly: Jellico, TN to Johnson City, 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 TYS–TRI. At 161 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 2m

Distance

161 mi

Total Cost

$71

CO2

65 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$36

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 50m

12m in the air

Air Distance

100 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

26 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Jellico, TN → TYS 81m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 12m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

TRI → Johnson City, TN 17m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

Jellico, TN TYS — McGhee Tyson Airport 54 mi, ~81m drive

Johnson City, TN TRI — Tri-Cities Regional TN/VA Airport 12 mi, ~17m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between TYS and TRI. 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	3h 2m	3h 50m
Total cost (1 person)	$71	$124
Carbon footprint	65 kg CO₂	26 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.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

161 mi 3h 1m

via I 81, I 75, US 25W

Shortest (+9 min)

153.5 mi 3h 11m

via US 11W; SR 1, SR 63, US 25W

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