Drive or Fly: Memphis, TN to Jackson, 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 MEM–MKL. At 87 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

1h 25m

Distance

87.8 mi

Total Cost

$55

CO2

35 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$20

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 32m

9m in the air

Air Distance

77 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

20 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Memphis, TN → MEM 13m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 9m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MKL → Jackson, TN 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Memphis, TN MEM — Memphis International Airport 8 mi, ~13m drive

Jackson, TN MKL — McKellar-Sipes Regional Airport 6 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MEM and MKL. 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

3h 35m

1h 41m on rail

Total Cost

$16

CO2

5 kg

Route

City of New Orleans

Door-to-Door Timeline

Memphis, TN → Memphis 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 101m

Arrival 10m

Newbern-Dyersburg Amtrak Station → Jackson, TN 64m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $16) $16

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

Stations

From Memphis 1 mi, ~10m drive

To Newbern-Dyersburg Amtrak Station 43 mi, ~64m 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

2h 15m

1h 30m on road

Total Cost

CO2

5 kg

Route

Greyhound US0135

Door-to-Door Timeline

Memphis, TN → Memphis Bus Station (MEM6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 90m

Arrival 10m

Jackson (Mega Mart) (JXT6) → Jackson, TN 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $9) $9

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

Stations

From MEM6 — Memphis Bus Station 7 mi, ~10m drive

To JXT6 — Jackson (Mega Mart) 3 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	Train	Bus
Door-to-door time	1h 25m	2h 32m	3h 35m	2h 15m
Total cost (1 person)	$55	$123	$16	$9
Carbon footprint	35 kg CO₂	20 kg CO₂	5 kg CO₂	5 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 12, 2026.

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