Drive or Fly: Mountain City, TN to New South Memphis, 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–MEM. At 542 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

8h 31m

Distance

542.2 mi

Total Cost

$155

CO2

219 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$120

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 57m

57m in the air

Air Distance

472 mi

Total Cost

$194

CO2

120 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Mountain City, TN → TRI 50m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 57m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MEM → New South Memphis, TN 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $139) $139

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

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

New South Memphis, TN MEM — Memphis International Airport 5 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Saves about 4h 34m 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	8h 31m	3h 57m
Total cost (1 person)	$155	$194
Carbon footprint	219 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 12, 2026.

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