Drive or Fly: Southaven, MS to Sardis, 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 MEM–JAN. At 238 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

4h 30m

Distance

238 mi

Total Cost

$88

CO2

96 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$53

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 34m

27m in the air

Air Distance

221 mi

Total Cost

$184

CO2

56 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Southaven, MS → MEM 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 27m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

JAN → Sardis, MS 57m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $129) $129

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

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

Sardis, MS JAN — Jackson-Medgar Wiley Evers International Airport 38 mi, ~57m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MEM and JAN. 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

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

7h 9m

5h 29m on rail

Total Cost

$45

CO2

14 kg

Route

City of New Orleans

Door-to-Door Timeline

Southaven, MS → Memphis 30m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 329m

Arrival 10m

Hazlehurst Amtrak → Sardis, MS 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $45) $45

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

Stations

From Memphis 0 mi, ~30m drive

To Hazlehurst Amtrak 0 mi, ~30m 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

5h 20m

3h 55m on road

Total Cost

$21

CO2

14 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Southaven, MS → Memphis Bus Station (MEM6) 30m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 235m

Arrival 10m

Jackson (Union Station) (JXD6) → Sardis, MS 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $21) $21

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

Stations

From MEM6 — Memphis Bus Station 0 mi, ~30m drive

To JXD6 — Jackson (Union Station) 0 mi, ~30m 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	4h 30m	3h 34m	7h 9m	5h 20m
Total cost (1 person)	$88	$184	$45	$21
Carbon footprint	96 kg CO₂	56 kg CO₂	14 kg CO₂	14 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 13, 2026.

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