Checked 8×
Is it cheaper to fly or drive a Tesla from Birmingham, AL to Memphis, TN?
Take the TeslaYou keep
$232
In the car
4h
Car is calmer by
77%
Car 14 · Flight 61
245 mi by road
4h 32m by air, only 1h 16m of it flying. 1 in 5 run late.
How this was priced
Birmingham, AL to Memphis, TN is 245 mi by road — 4h of driving and 1 Supercharger stop — against 4h 32m door to door by air. Driving is cheaper: taking the Tesla costs $55 against $287 to fly, a saving of $232. On the 0-100 stress scale the drive scores 14 and the flight 61.
Priced with fast charging at $0.50 per kWh and 3.7 miles per kWh, airfare from a $95 base plus $0.13 a mile per person, one $35 bag and a $30 ride at each end. Airfare is modelled from flight distance, not a live fare quote, so treat it as a typical fare rather than today's price. Rates last reviewed 14 September 2026; this trip last priced 8 October 2026.
Checking the route…
Check this yourself
- Distance and drive time come from live road routing, not straight lines.
- Every rate used is listed on Cost analysis and sourced on Sources.
- This trip as raw data: birmingham-al-to-memphis-tn.json
- Last recalculated 2026-10-08 · checked 8×. Costs are modelled estimates, not quotes.
Questions about this trip
Is it cheaper to drive a Tesla or fly from Birmingham, AL to Memphis, TN?
Driving costs about $55 and flying about $287, so driving is cheaper by $232. The drive counts charging and a hotel night if it takes more than a day. The flight counts fares, bags, airport food on long flights and the rides at both ends.
How long does each take, door to door?
The drive is about 4h including 1 Supercharger stop. Flying is about 4h 32m, counting the trip to the airport, security, the flight and getting to your destination.
How many Supercharger stops will I need?
About 1 Supercharger stop for 245 mi, assuming you leave full and charge to roughly 80% at each stop. Real range drops in cold weather, rain and at high speed.
How accurate are these numbers?
They're modelled estimates, not quotes. Airfares change daily, so check a real fare before booking. This trip was last priced 8 October 2026. Every rate and where it comes from is on the Sources page.