Drive or Fly: McMinnville, TN to Gallatin, 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 CHA–BNA. At 76 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

1h 39m

Distance

76.2 mi

Total Cost

$52

CO2

31 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$17

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 3m

7m in the air

Air Distance

62 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

16 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

McMinnville, TN → CHA 83m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 7m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BNA → Gallatin, TN 33m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

McMinnville, TN CHA — Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport (Lovell Field) 55 mi, ~83m drive

Gallatin, TN BNA — Nashville International Airport 22 mi, ~33m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between CHA 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

2h 43m

1h 8m on road

Total Cost

CO2

3 kg

Route

Greyhound US0100

Door-to-Door Timeline

McMinnville, TN → Manchester (Shell) (MNC6) 33m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 68m

Arrival 10m

Nashville Bus Station (NAS6) → Gallatin, TN 37m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $7) $7

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

Stations

From MNC6 — Manchester (Shell) 22 mi, ~33m drive

To NAS6 — Nashville Bus Station 24 mi, ~37m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~14/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

− Travel time longer than driving

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Bus
Door-to-door time	1h 39m	4h 3m	2h 43m
Total cost (1 person)	$52	$122	$7
Carbon footprint	31 kg CO₂	16 kg CO₂	3 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 13, 2026.

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