Drive or Fly: Phenix City, AL to Montgomery, AL?

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 CSG–MGM. At 86 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

1h 22m

Distance

86.2 mi

Total Cost

$54

CO2

35 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$19

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

2h 30m

9m in the air

Air Distance

76 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

19 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Phenix City, AL → CSG 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 9m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MGM → Montgomery, AL 11m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Phenix City, AL CSG — Columbus Airport 5 mi, ~10m drive

Montgomery, AL MGM — Montgomery Regional (Dannelly Field) Airport 7 mi, ~11m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between CSG and MGM. 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

2h 38m

1h 53m on road

Total Cost

CO2

5 kg

Route

Greyhound US0602

Door-to-Door Timeline

Phenix City, AL → Columbus Bus Stop (CLG6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 113m

Arrival 10m

Montgomery Intermodal Center (MRY6) → Montgomery, AL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $9) $9

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

Stations

From CLG6 — Columbus Bus Stop 5 mi, ~10m drive

To MRY6 — Montgomery Intermodal Center 1 mi, ~10m 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	1h 22m	2h 30m	2h 38m
Total cost (1 person)	$54	$123	$9
Carbon footprint	35 kg CO₂	19 kg CO₂	5 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 Phenix City, AL to Montgomery, AL with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.