Drive or Fly: Knoxville, TN to Nashville, 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–BNA. At 180 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

3h 21m

Distance

180 mi

Total Cost

$75

CO2

73 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$40

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

2h 46m

19m in the air

Air Distance

161 mi

Total Cost

$126

CO2

41 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Knoxville, TN → TYS 17m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 19m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BNA → Nashville, TN 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Airports

Knoxville, TN TYS — McGhee Tyson Airport 11 mi, ~17m drive

Nashville, TN BNA — Nashville International Airport 7 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between TYS and BNA. 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

3h 30m

2h 45m on road

Total Cost

$18

CO2

9 kg

Route

Greyhound US0600

Door-to-Door Timeline

Knoxville, TN → Knoxville Area Transit Bus Stop (KNO6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 165m

Arrival 10m

Nashville Bus Station (NAS6) → Nashville, TN 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $18) $18

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

Stations

From KNO6 — Knoxville Area Transit Bus Stop 4 mi, ~10m drive

To NAS6 — Nashville Bus Station 1 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 21m	2h 46m	3h 30m
Total cost (1 person)	$75	$126	$18
Carbon footprint	73 kg CO₂	41 kg CO₂	9 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 12, 2026.

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