Drive or Fly: Pearl, MS to Clarksdale, 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 JAN–GLH. At 161 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 31m

Distance

161.9 mi

Total Cost

$71

CO2

65 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$36

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 49m

16m in the air

Air Distance

135 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

35 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Pearl, MS → JAN 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 16m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

GLH → Clarksdale, MS 83m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

Pearl, MS JAN — Jackson-Medgar Wiley Evers International Airport 4 mi, ~10m drive

Clarksdale, MS GLH — Mid Delta Regional Airport 55 mi, ~83m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between JAN and GLH. 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

4h 9m

2h 53m on rail

Total Cost

$27

CO2

8 kg

Route

City of New Orleans

Door-to-Door Timeline

Pearl, MS → Jackson 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 173m

Arrival 10m

Marks Amtrak → Clarksdale, MS 26m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $27) $27

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

Stations

From Jackson 4 mi, ~10m drive

To Marks Amtrak 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

4h 4m

2h 25m on road

Total Cost

$16

CO2

8 kg

Route

Greyhound US1173

Door-to-Door Timeline

Pearl, MS → Jackson (Union Station) (JXD6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 145m

Arrival 10m

Batesville(Terza One Stop Shop) (BMS6) → Clarksdale, MS 64m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $16) $16

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

Stations

From JXD6 — Jackson (Union Station) 4 mi, ~10m drive

To BMS6 — Batesville(Terza One Stop Shop) 42 mi, ~64m 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	Train	Bus
Door-to-door time	3h 31m	3h 49m	4h 9m	4h 4m
Total cost (1 person)	$71	$125	$27	$16
Carbon footprint	65 kg CO₂	35 kg CO₂	8 kg CO₂	8 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 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

161.9 mi 3h 31m

via US 49W, US 49, US 61; US 278

Shortest (+8 min)

158.3 mi 3h 39m

via US 49E, I 55, US 49; MS 3

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Pearl, MS to Clarksdale, MS with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.