Drive or Fly: North Tunica, MS to Olive Branch, MS?

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–MEM. At 44 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

56m

Distance

44.7 mi

Total Cost

$45

CO2

18 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$10

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

4m in the air

Air Distance

36 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

9 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

North Tunica, MS → MEM 49m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 4m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MEM → Olive Branch, MS 15m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

North Tunica, MS MEM — Memphis International Airport 33 mi, ~49m drive

Olive Branch, MS MEM — Memphis International Airport 10 mi, ~15m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MEM 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

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

3h 43m

1h 50m on rail

Total Cost

$12

CO2

4 kg

Route

City of New Orleans

Door-to-Door Timeline

North Tunica, MS → Marks Amtrak 47m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 110m

Arrival 10m

Memphis → Olive Branch, MS 26m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $12) $12

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

Stations

From Marks Amtrak 31 mi, ~47m drive

To Memphis 18 mi, ~26m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~4/week

+ Spacious seating with legroom and power outlets

+ Walk around freely during the trip

+ No driving fatigue — relax or work en route

+ Much lower carbon footprint than driving or flying

− Limited schedule — about 4 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

2h 26m

55m on road

Total Cost

CO2

3 kg

Route

Greyhound US0600

Door-to-Door Timeline

North Tunica, MS → Forrest City (McDonald's) (FRY6) 49m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 55m

Arrival 10m

Memphis Bus Station (MEM6) → Olive Branch, MS 17m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $5) $5

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

Stations

From FRY6 — Forrest City (McDonald's) 33 mi, ~49m drive

To MEM6 — Memphis Bus Station 12 mi, ~17m 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	Train	Bus
Door-to-door time	56m	3h 8m	3h 43m	2h 26m
Total cost (1 person)	$45	$121	$12	$5
Carbon footprint	18 kg CO₂	9 kg CO₂	4 kg CO₂	3 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: Amtrak GTFS, 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 18, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

44.7 mi 55m

via MS 304, US 61, MS 305

Shortest (+0 min)

40.9 mi 56m

via US 61, MS 302

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from North Tunica, MS to Olive Branch, MS with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.