Drive or Fly: Kingsport, TN to Savannah, 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 TRI–MKL. At 401 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

7h 37m

Distance

401.5 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

162 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$89

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

− Driver fatigue on longer stretches

− Wear and tear on vehicle

− Fuel price fluctuations

Plan the drive

Fly

Door to Door

4h 3m

40m in the air

Air Distance

331 mi

Total Cost

$188

CO2

84 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Kingsport, TN → TRI 15m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 40m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MKL → Savannah, TN 68m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $133) $133

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

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

Savannah, TN MKL — McKellar-Sipes Regional Airport 46 mi, ~68m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between TRI and MKL. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 3h 34m compared to driving

+ 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly
Door-to-door time	7h 37m	4h 3m
Total cost (1 person)	$124	$188
Carbon footprint	162 kg CO₂	84 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 19, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

401.5 mi 7h 36m

via I 40, I 81, US 64

Alternative (+17 min)

410.9 mi 7h 54m

via US 64, I 75, I 40

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