Drive or Fly: Sparta, TN to Hendersonville, 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 CHA–BNA. At 97 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

1h 58m

Distance

97.7 mi

Total Cost

$57

CO2

39 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$22

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

4h 2m

8m in the air

Air Distance

70 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

18 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Sparta, TN → CHA 95m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 8m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BNA → Hendersonville, TN 19m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Sparta, TN CHA — Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport (Lovell Field) 63 mi, ~95m drive

Hendersonville, TN BNA — Nashville International Airport 13 mi, ~19m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between CHA and BNA. 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 27m

1h 20m on road

Total Cost

CO2

4 kg

Route

Greyhound US0600

Door-to-Door Timeline

Sparta, TN → Cookeville (Marathon) (CKV6) 22m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 80m

Arrival 10m

Nashville Bus Station (NAS6) → Hendersonville, TN 20m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $8) $8

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

Stations

From CKV6 — Cookeville (Marathon) 15 mi, ~22m drive

To NAS6 — Nashville Bus Station 14 mi, ~20m 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	1h 58m	4h 2m	2h 27m
Total cost (1 person)	$57	$123	$8
Carbon footprint	39 kg CO₂	18 kg CO₂	4 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 Sparta, TN to Hendersonville, TN with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.