Drive or Fly: Nashville, TN to Arlington, 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 BNA–MEM. At 183 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

3h 25m

Distance

183.4 mi

Total Cost

$76

CO2

74 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$41

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 8m

21m in the air

Air Distance

172 mi

Total Cost

$127

CO2

44 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Nashville, TN → BNA 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 21m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MEM → Arlington, TN 37m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $127) $127

Airports

Nashville, TN BNA — Nashville International Airport 7 mi, ~10m drive

Arlington, TN MEM — Memphis International Airport 25 mi, ~37m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between BNA and MEM. 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

3h 48m on road

Total Cost

$22

CO2

11 kg

Route

Greyhound US0600

Door-to-Door Timeline

Nashville, TN → Nashville Bus Station (NAS6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 228m

Arrival 10m

Memphis Bus Station (MEM6) → Arlington, TN 37m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $22) $22

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

Stations

From NAS6 — Nashville Bus Station 1 mi, ~10m drive

To MEM6 — Memphis Bus Station 25 mi, ~37m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~14/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

− Travel time longer than driving

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Bus
Door-to-door time	3h 25m	3h 8m	5h
Total cost (1 person)	$76	$127	$22
Carbon footprint	74 kg CO₂	44 kg CO₂	11 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 Nashville, TN to Arlington, TN with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.