Drive or Fly: Union City, TN to Knoxville, 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–TYS. At 335 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

6h 32m

Distance

335.2 mi

Total Cost

$109

CO2

135 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$74

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

35m in the air

Air Distance

288 mi

Total Cost

$187

CO2

73 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Union City, TN → PAH 70m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 35m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

TYS → Knoxville, TN 17m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $132) $132

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

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

Knoxville, TN TYS — McGhee Tyson Airport 11 mi, ~17m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between PAH and TYS. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 2h 30m 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	6h 32m	4h 2m
Total cost (1 person)	$109	$187
Carbon footprint	135 kg CO₂	73 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.

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