Drive or Fly: Magnolia, 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 BTR–MEM. At 287 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

5h 17m

Distance

287.3 mi

Total Cost

$98

CO2

116 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$63

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

4h 15m

32m in the air

Air Distance

266 mi

Total Cost

$186

CO2

68 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Magnolia, MS → BTR 88m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 32m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MEM → Olive Branch, MS 15m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $131) $131

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Magnolia, MS BTR — Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport 59 mi, ~88m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between BTR 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

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

7h 56m

6h 39m on rail

Total Cost

$54

CO2

16 kg

Route

City of New Orleans

Door-to-Door Timeline

Magnolia, MS → Mccomb 11m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 399m

Arrival 10m

Memphis → Olive Branch, MS 26m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $54) $54

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

Stations

From Mccomb 7 mi, ~11m 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

12h 33m

10h 15m on road

Total Cost

$36

CO2

19 kg

Route

Greyhound US1173

Door-to-Door Timeline

Magnolia, MS → Baton Rouge Bus Station (BTR6) 96m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 615m

Arrival 10m

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

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $36) $36

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

Stations

From BTR6 — Baton Rouge Bus Station 64 mi, ~96m 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	5h 17m	4h 15m	7h 56m	12h 33m
Total cost (1 person)	$98	$186	$54	$36
Carbon footprint	116 kg CO₂	68 kg CO₂	16 kg CO₂	19 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 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

287.3 mi 5h 17m

via I 55, I 269; MS 304, MS 305

Alternative (+45 min)

308 mi 6h 3m

via I 55, MS 25, MS 35

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