Drive or Fly: Memphis, TN to Mountain City, 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–TRI. At 535 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

9h 49m

Distance

535.6 mi

Total Cost

$153

CO2

216 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$118

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

− Driver fatigue on longer stretches

− Wear and tear on vehicle

− Fuel price fluctuations

Plan the drive

Fly

Door to Door

3h 59m

56m in the air

Air Distance

471 mi

Total Cost

$194

CO2

120 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Memphis, TN → MEM 13m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 56m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

TRI → Mountain City, TN 50m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $139) $139

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

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

Mountain City, TN TRI — Tri-Cities Regional TN/VA Airport 34 mi, ~50m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MEM and TRI. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 5h 50m compared to driving

+ 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly
Door-to-door time	9h 49m	3h 59m
Total cost (1 person)	$153	$194
Carbon footprint	216 kg CO₂	120 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

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 18, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

535.6 mi 9h 49m

via I 40, I 81, US 421

Alternative (+107 min)

603.2 mi 11h 36m

via I 40, I 65, Cumberland Parkway

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