Drive or Fly: Madison, MS to Olive Branch, 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 JAN–MEM. At 190 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

3h 32m

Distance

190.2 mi

Total Cost

$77

CO2

77 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$42

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 52m

21m in the air

Air Distance

174 mi

Total Cost

$127

CO2

44 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Madison, MS → JAN 16m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 21m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MEM → Olive Branch, MS 15m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $127) $127

Airports

Madison, MS JAN — Jackson-Medgar Wiley Evers International Airport 11 mi, ~16m drive

Olive Branch, MS MEM — Memphis International Airport 10 mi, ~15m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between JAN and MEM. 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

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

6h 9m

4h 45m on rail

Total Cost

$39

CO2

11 kg

Route

City of New Orleans

Door-to-Door Timeline

Madison, MS → Jackson 18m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 285m

Arrival 10m

Memphis → Olive Branch, MS 26m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $39) $39

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

Stations

From Jackson 12 mi, ~18m drive

To Memphis 18 mi, ~26m 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

4h 25m

3h 25m on road

Total Cost

$21

CO2

11 kg

Route

Greyhound US1173

Door-to-Door Timeline

Madison, MS → Jackson (Union Station) (JXD6) 18m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 205m

Arrival 10m

Memphis Bus Station (MEM6) → Olive Branch, MS 17m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $21) $21

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

Stations

From JXD6 — Jackson (Union Station) 12 mi, ~18m drive

To MEM6 — Memphis Bus Station 12 mi, ~17m 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	Train	Bus
Door-to-door time	3h 32m	2h 52m	6h 9m	4h 25m
Total cost (1 person)	$77	$127	$39	$21
Carbon footprint	77 kg CO₂	44 kg CO₂	11 kg CO₂	11 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, 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 13, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Madison, MS to Olive Branch, MS with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.