Drive or Fly: Pontotoc, MS to Southaven, 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 TUP–MEM. At 89 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 51m

Distance

89.6 mi

Total Cost

$55

CO2

36 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$20

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 39m

9m in the air

Air Distance

77 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

20 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Pontotoc, MS → TUP 20m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 9m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MEM → Southaven, MS 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Pontotoc, MS TUP — Tupelo Regional Airport 13 mi, ~20m drive

Southaven, MS MEM — Memphis International Airport 4 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between TUP 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

4h 34m

1h 50m on rail

Total Cost

$12

CO2

4 kg

Route

City of New Orleans

Door-to-Door Timeline

Pontotoc, MS → Marks Amtrak 109m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 110m

Arrival 10m

Memphis → Southaven, MS 15m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $12) $12

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

Stations

From Marks Amtrak 73 mi, ~109m drive

To Memphis 10 mi, ~15m 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 52m

1h 50m on road

Total Cost

$10

CO2

5 kg

Route

Greyhound US0610

Door-to-Door Timeline

Pontotoc, MS → Tupelo (Brothers Quick Stop) (TUP6) 27m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 110m

Arrival 10m

Memphis Bus Station (MEM6) → Southaven, MS 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $10) $10

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

Stations

From TUP6 — Tupelo (Brothers Quick Stop) 18 mi, ~27m drive

To MEM6 — Memphis Bus Station 5 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	Train	Bus
Door-to-door time	1h 51m	2h 39m	4h 34m	2h 52m
Total cost (1 person)	$55	$123	$12	$10
Carbon footprint	36 kg CO₂	20 kg CO₂	4 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: 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 15, 2026.

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