Drive or Fly: New South Memphis, 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 MEM–TRI. At 496 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

9h 11m

Distance

496.2 mi

Total Cost

$145

CO2

200 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$110

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

− Driver fatigue on longer stretches

− Wear and tear on vehicle

− Fuel price fluctuations

Plan the drive

Fly

Door to Door

3h 20m

53m in the air

Air Distance

440 mi

Total Cost

$193

CO2

112 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

New South Memphis, TN → MEM 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 53m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

TRI → Johnson City, TN 17m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $138) $138

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

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

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

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Saves about 5h 51m 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 11m	3h 20m
Total cost (1 person)	$145	$193
Carbon footprint	200 kg CO₂	112 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 15, 2026.

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