Drive or Fly: Johnson City, TN to Arlington, 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 467 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

8h 36m

Distance

467.2 mi

Total Cost

$138

CO2

189 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$103

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 44m

50m in the air

Air Distance

415 mi

Total Cost

$192

CO2

106 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Johnson City, TN → TRI 17m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 50m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MEM → Arlington, TN 37m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $137) $137

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

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

Arlington, TN MEM — Memphis International Airport 25 mi, ~37m drive

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Saves about 4h 52m 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	8h 36m	3h 44m
Total cost (1 person)	$138	$192
Carbon footprint	189 kg CO₂	106 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 Johnson City, TN to Arlington, TN with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.