How far is McMinnville, TN from Chattanooga, TN?

The driving distance from McMinnville, TN to Chattanooga, TN is about 73.1 miles (117.6 km), with a travel time of about 01h 14m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 51.1 miles (82.3 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 02h 29m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM CDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This route works well as a day trip with time at the destination. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
73.05 mi
01h 14m
Flight
51.13 mi
82.29 km direct

This route works well as a day trip with time at the destination.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from McMinnville.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
51.13 mi
Kilometers
82.29 km
Flight Time
00h 06m

Driving Distance

Road route
73.05 mi
Kilometers
117.56 km
Drive Time
01h 14m

Gas Cost Calculator

Leave and Arrive Planner

Pick a departure time to see your estimated arrival and same-day return window.

Drive time stays fixed at 01h 14m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Chattanooga
Wed, Apr 22, 10:44 PM EDT
Return by in McMinnville
Wed, Apr 22, 10:59 PM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave McMinnville
2026-04-22T20:29
Arrive Chattanooga
Wed, Apr 22, 9:44 PM CDT
Route Timing
01h 14m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
8:00 AM to 10:00 AM CDT
Aim for a morning departure
Arrive between
10:15 AM to 12:15 PM EDT

A morning start gives you useful time at the destination and keeps the return out of the late evening.

Leave by
4:00 PM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 03h 00m at the destination.
Back in McMinnville
9:30 PM CDT
Morning start is best

You are leaving earlier than the recommended window, which gives you extra margin for breaks and traffic.

Halfway Point

A useful midpoint for breaks, coffee, or meeting in the middle.

Mid-route stop
Dunlap
TN

City in Tennessee, USA

From McMinnville
36.5 mi
00h 37m
To Chattanooga
36.5 mi
00h 37m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
79°F
Wednesday

Sunny

Starts
Wed, Apr 22 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
0 to 5 mph WSW
Destination
81°F
Wednesday

Sunny

Starts
Wed, Apr 22 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
0 to 5 mph SW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between McMinnville and Chattanooga.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between McMinnville and Chattanooga.

  1. 1

    Start on Walling Street

    107 m · 19 sec · Walling Street

  2. 2

    Turn right onto Sparta Street

    34 m · 8 sec · Sparta Street

  3. 3

    Turn left onto Durham Street

    109 m · 16 sec · Durham Street

  4. 4

    Turn right onto Mulberry Street

    667 ft · 34 sec · Mulberry Street

  5. 5

    Turn left onto East Main Street

    575 ft · 15 sec · East Main Street

  6. 6

    At the end of the road, turn left onto Beersheba Highway

    1.3 mi · 2 min · Beersheba Highway

  7. 7

    Turn slight left onto Harrison Ferry Road

    12.3 mi · 17 min · Harrison Ferry Road

  8. 8

    Continue on State Highway 8

    7.3 mi · 10 min · State Highway 8

  9. 9

    At the end of the road, turn right

    12.6 mi · 17 min

  10. 10

    Continue straight

    11.5 mi · 14 min

  11. 11

    Continue straight

    5.9 mi · 7 min

  12. 12

    Merge slight right

    21.2 mi · 25 min

  13. 13

    Take the exit slight right toward Downtown

    1176 ft · 40 sec

  14. 14

    Turn straight onto West Martin Luther King Boulevard

    1541 ft · 45 sec · West Martin Luther King Boulevard

  15. 15

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · West Martin Luther King Boulevard

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between McMinnville and Chattanooga.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Highway-focused drive

Most of the mileage stays on named highways, so the important moments are ramps, exits, merges, and the final local approach.

Directions
15 steps
8 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
2
1 merges, 1 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
20.5 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
State Highway 8
46 mi · 63%
Harrison Ferry Road
12.3 mi · 17%
Beersheba Highway
1.26 mi · 2%
West Martin Luther King Boulevard
0.29 mi
Downtown
0.22 mi
Mulberry Street
0.13 mi
Longest Stretch

State Highway 8

Merge slight right

21.2 mi · 00h 25m

Route Summary

A quick read on whether this route feels easy, ambitious, or worth planning around.

Trip Read

A comfortable day-trip route

This route works well as a day trip. You can leave in the morning, spend meaningful time at the destination, and still return the same day.

Drive Time
01h 14m
Day trip friendly
Same-Day Return
02h 30m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+22 mi
51.1 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Dunlap
00h 37m from McMinnville
Leave By
4:00 PM CDT
Morning start is best
Weather Watch

Sunny leaving McMinnville and Sunny near Chattanooga.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from McMinnville to Chattanooga?

The road trip is about 73.1 miles (117.6 km) and usually takes 01h 14m in normal driving conditions.

Is this a same-day trip or an overnight route?

This route works well as a day trip. You can leave in the morning, spend meaningful time at the destination, and still return the same day.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Dunlap is a useful midpoint, sitting about 36.5 miles from McMinnville and 36.5 miles from Chattanooga.

How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?

The direct path is about 51.1 miles (82.3 km), while the road route adds roughly 22 extra miles because roads do not follow the straight air line.

When is the best time to leave for this route?

A good departure window is usually 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM CDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 4:00 PM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $9.73 one way or $19.46 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 22.9 kg one way.

Do you cross a time zone on this route?

Yes. There is about a 1 hour time difference between McMinnville and Chattanooga, so arrival and return times should be read in local time.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Sunny around McMinnville and Sunny near Chattanooga.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between McMinnville and Chattanooga. Straight-line distance: 51.13 mi (82.29 km).

McMinnville

#1 McMinnville

City in Tennessee

Population13,776
Coordinates35.6834000, -85.7699800
Altitude295
CountryUnited States
Chattanooga

#2 Chattanooga

The fourth most populous city in Tennessee.

Population184,742
Coordinates35.0456300, -85.3096800
Altitude206
CountryUnited States
Start: Walling Street (-85.769957, 35.683501)
End: West Martin Luther King Boulevard (-85.309688, 35.045753)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 118 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)02h 26m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)01h 49m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)01h 27m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)01h 13m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)01h 02m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 54m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
2.58 gal
9.76 L · about $9.73
Round trip
$19.46
5.16 gal · 19.52 L
Estimated CO2
22.9 kg one way
Round trip: 45.9 kg / 101 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $9.73 $19.46
Mid-grade $4.25 $10.97 $21.95
Premium $4.65 $12.01 $24.01
Diesel $5.30 $13.68 $27.37

Assumes 8.3 L/100 km (about 28.3 MPG). CO2 is an estimate and varies by vehicle, fuel blend, traffic, and terrain.

Prices in Tennessee · Apr 23, 2026

Please keep in mind that there is a 1 hour time gap between McMinnville, TN and Chattanooga, TN. The current time in McMinnville is 20:29:37, although it is 21:29:37 in Chattanooga.

Distance to Other Cities

Planning a road trip? See the full trip guide on Trip.ovh — stops, fuel costs, weather, and departure timing.

How did we calculate? Place names are translated into coordinates. The Haversine formula calculates straight-line distance; driving distance uses road network data.