Drive or Fly: Monterey, TN to Knoxville, 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 TYS–TYS. At 88 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

1h 23m

Distance

88 mi

Total Cost

$55

CO2

36 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

4h 18m

9m in the air

Air Distance

76 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

19 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Monterey, TN → TYS 112m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 9m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

TYS → Knoxville, TN 17m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Monterey, TN TYS — McGhee Tyson Airport 75 mi, ~112m drive

Knoxville, TN TYS — McGhee Tyson Airport 11 mi, ~17m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between TYS and TYS. 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 55m

2h on road

Total Cost

$10

CO2

5 kg

Route

Greyhound US0600

Door-to-Door Timeline

Monterey, TN → Cookeville (Marathon) (CKV6) 20m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 120m

Arrival 10m

Knoxville Area Transit Bus Stop (KNO6) → Knoxville, TN 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $10) $10

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

Stations

From CKV6 — Cookeville (Marathon) 13 mi, ~20m drive

To KNO6 — Knoxville Area Transit Bus Stop 4 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	Bus
Door-to-door time	1h 23m	4h 18m	2h 55m
Total cost (1 person)	$55	$123	$10
Carbon footprint	36 kg CO₂	19 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: 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 Monterey, TN to Knoxville, TN with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.