Checked 14×
Is it cheaper to fly or drive a Tesla from Melbourne, VIC to Adelaide, SA?
Take the TeslaYou keep
$192
In the car
9h 20m
Car is calmer by
47%
Car 25 · Flight 47
727 km by road
4h 41m by air, only 1h 25m of it flying.
How this was priced
Melbourne, VIC to Adelaide, SA is 727 km by road — 9h 20m of driving and 3 Supercharger stops — against 4h 41m door to door by air. Driving is cheaper: taking the Tesla costs $105 against $297 to fly, a saving of $192. On the 0-100 stress scale the drive scores 25 and the flight 47.
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 30 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: melbourne-vic-to-adelaide-sa.json
- Last recalculated 2026-10-30 · checked 14×. Costs are modelled estimates, not quotes.
Questions about this trip
Is it cheaper to drive a Tesla or fly from Melbourne, VIC to Adelaide, SA?
Driving costs about $105 and flying about $297, so driving is cheaper by $192. 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 9h 20m including 3 Supercharger stops. Flying is about 4h 41m, counting the trip to the airport, security, the flight and getting to your destination.
How many Supercharger stops will I need?
About 3 Supercharger stops for 727 km, 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 30 October 2026. Every rate and where it comes from is on the Sources page.