Drive or Fly: Florence, 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 JAN–MEM. At 207 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 51m

Distance

207.4 mi

Total Cost

$85

CO2

84 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$50

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 51m

24m in the air

Air Distance

196 mi

Total Cost

$183

CO2

50 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Florence, MS → JAN 17m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 24m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MEM → Southaven, MS 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $128) $128

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Florence, MS JAN — Jackson-Medgar Wiley Evers International Airport 11 mi, ~17m drive

Southaven, MS MEM — Frederick W. Smith International Airport 4 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between JAN 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

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

5h 56m

4h 45m on rail

Total Cost

$39

CO2

11 kg

Route

City of New Orleans

Door-to-Door Timeline

Florence, MS → Jackson (JAN) 16m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 285m

Arrival 10m

Memphis (MEM) → Southaven, MS 15m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $39) $39

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

Stations

From JAN — Jackson 11 mi, ~16m drive

To MEM — 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

4h 16m

3h 25m on road

Total Cost

$21

CO2

11 kg

Route

Greyhound US1173

Door-to-Door Timeline

Florence, MS → Jackson (Union Station) (JXD6) 16m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 205m

Arrival 10m

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

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $21) $21

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

Stations

From JXD6 — Jackson (Union Station) 11 mi, ~16m drive

To MEM6 — Memphis Bus Station 5 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~9/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 9 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	3h 51m	2h 51m	5h 56m	4h 16m
Total cost (1 person)	$85	$183	$39	$21
Carbon footprint	84 kg CO₂	50 kg CO₂	11 kg CO₂	11 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 Oct 17, 2026.

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