Drive or Fly: Rockwood, TN to Kingsport, 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–TRI. At 143 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 43m

Distance

143.7 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 28m

15m in the air

Air Distance

127 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

32 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Rockwood, TN → TYS 58m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 15m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

TRI → Kingsport, TN 15m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

Rockwood, TN TYS — McGhee Tyson Airport 39 mi, ~58m drive

Kingsport, TN TRI — Tri-Cities Regional TN/VA Airport 10 mi, ~15m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between TYS and TRI. 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly
Door-to-door time	2h 43m	3h 28m
Total cost (1 person)	$67	$125
Carbon footprint	58 kg CO₂	32 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

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 16, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

143.7 mi 2h 43m

via I 40, I 81, US 27; US 70

Shortest (+1 min)

139.9 mi 2h 44m

via I 40, US 11W, US 11W; SR 1

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Rockwood, TN to Kingsport, TN with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.