Drive or Fly: Mountain City, TN to Johnson 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 TRI–TRI. At 42 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 8m

Distance

42.9 mi

Total Cost

$44

CO2

17 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$9

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

3h 11m

4m in the air

Air Distance

32 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

8 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Mountain City, TN → TRI 50m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 4m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

TRI → Johnson City, TN 17m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

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

Johnson City, TN TRI — Tri-Cities Regional TN/VA Airport 12 mi, ~17m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between TRI and TRI. 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

4h 34m

1h 20m on road

Total Cost

CO2

4 kg

Route

Greyhound US0654s

Door-to-Door Timeline

Mountain City, TN → Newton (Citgo) (HKN6) 92m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 80m

Arrival 10m

Asheville, NC (ASN6) → Johnson City, TN 77m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $8) $8

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

Stations

From HKN6 — Newton (Citgo) 62 mi, ~92m drive

To ASN6 — Asheville, NC 51 mi, ~77m 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 8m	3h 11m	4h 34m
Total cost (1 person)	$44	$121	$8
Carbon footprint	17 kg CO₂	8 kg CO₂	4 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 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

42.9 mi 1h 7m

via TN 67, US 321; SR 67, East Elk Avenue

Alternative (+1 min)

54 mi 1h 8m

via US 421, US 11E; US 19, TN 394

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