Drive or Fly: Union City, TN to Jackson, 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 PAH–MKL. At 64 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

1h 19m

Distance

64.6 mi

Total Cost

$49

CO2

26 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$14

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 27m

7m in the air

Air Distance

58 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

15 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Union City, TN → PAH 70m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 7m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MKL → Jackson, TN 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

Union City, TN PAH — Barkley Regional Airport 47 mi, ~70m drive

Jackson, TN MKL — McKellar-Sipes Regional Airport 6 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between PAH and MKL. 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

2h 42m

40m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

City of New Orleans

Door-to-Door Timeline

Union City, TN → Fulton Amtrak Station 18m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 40m

Arrival 10m

Newbern-Dyersburg Amtrak Station → Jackson, TN 64m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $7) $7

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

Stations

From Fulton Amtrak Station 12 mi, ~18m drive

To Newbern-Dyersburg Amtrak Station 43 mi, ~64m 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	1h 19m	3h 27m	2h 42m
Total cost (1 person)	$49	$122	$7
Carbon footprint	26 kg CO₂	15 kg CO₂	2 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 — 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 Union City, TN to Jackson, TN with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.