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Is it cheaper to fly or drive a Tesla from Chattanooga, TN to Louisville, KY?

Take the Tesla

You keep

$200

In the car

5h 28m

Car is calmer by

68%

Car 18 · Flight 56

306 mi by road

28m to airport1h 45m security & waiting54m flight1h 3m bags & to destination

4h 10m by air, only 54m of it flying. 1 in 5 run late.

How this was priced

Chattanooga, TN to Louisville, KY is 306 mi by road — 5h 28m of driving and 2 Supercharger stops — against 4h 10m door to door by air. Driving is cheaper: taking the Tesla costs $63 against $264 to fly, a saving of $200. On the 0-100 stress scale the drive scores 18 and the flight 56.

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 1 October 2026.

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  • 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: chattanooga-tn-to-louisville-ky.json
  • Last recalculated 2026-10-01 · checked 4×. Costs are modelled estimates, not quotes.

Questions about this trip

Is it cheaper to drive a Tesla or fly from Chattanooga, TN to Louisville, KY?

Driving costs about $63 and flying about $264, so driving is cheaper by $200. 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 5h 28m including 2 Supercharger stops. Flying is about 4h 10m, counting the trip to the airport, security, the flight and getting to your destination.

How many Supercharger stops will I need?

About 2 Supercharger stops for 306 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 1 October 2026. Every rate and where it comes from is on the Sources page.

More on the Cost page and Sources.