Drive or Fly: Pine Crest, TN to East Chattanooga, 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 TYS–CHA. At 143 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 8m

Distance

143.1 mi

Total Cost

$67

CO2

58 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$32

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 13m

13m in the air

Air Distance

105 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

27 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Pine Crest, TN → TYS 50m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 13m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

CHA → East Chattanooga, TN 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

Pine Crest, TN TYS — McGhee Tyson Airport 33 mi, ~50m drive

East Chattanooga, TN CHA — Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport (Lovell Field) 3 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between TYS and CHA. 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 17m

1h 10m on road

Total Cost

CO2

3 kg

Route

Greyhound US0110

Door-to-Door Timeline

Pine Crest, TN → Knoxville Area Transit Bus Stop (KNO6) 36m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 70m

Arrival 10m

Athens (Exxon) (ATS6) → East Chattanooga, TN 66m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $6) $6

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

Stations

From KNO6 — Knoxville Area Transit Bus Stop 24 mi, ~36m drive

To ATS6 — Athens (Exxon) 44 mi, ~66m 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	Bus
Door-to-door time	3h 8m	3h 13m	3h 17m
Total cost (1 person)	$67	$124	$6
Carbon footprint	58 kg CO₂	27 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: 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

143.1 mi 3h 7m

via I 75, US 25W, I 40; I 75

Shortest (+2 min)

128.7 mi 3h 10m

via US 27, SR 61, SR 116

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Pine Crest, TN to East Chattanooga, TN with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.