Great Smoky Mountains from Madison, 23 – 25 Oct: £891 for two, all in
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The verdict
Our verdict
Worth it, if
- £580 per person below the typical fare on this route
- Lowest in 30 days on this route
- Zoders Inn and Suites, rated 8.2 by 1,812 guests
The catch: Not nonstop: a stop on the way, 4h 3m in all.
Worth it if you want to be outside all day; skip it if you want to lie by a pool.
Round-trip flights from Madison to the Great Smoky Mountains are $449 per person ($898 for two) for Friday, Oct 23 to Sunday, Oct 25, 2026. That's 2 nights, flying Delta with one stop. Expect overcast days with highs of 59–66°F and little rain, and the best-value hotel, Zoders Inn and Suites in Gatlinburg, is $284 for both nights.
The total, before you go
£891 for two · 2 nights · flights, hotel, taxes & fees
| For two | |
|---|---|
| Flights for two, return | £677 |
| Zoders Inn and Suites, 2 nights, two guests, taxes in | £214 |
| The total, before you go | £891 |
| Hold luggage each, return (not in the total) | about £106 |
£580 per person below the typical fare on this route.
Not in it: seat selection on basic fares and hold luggage (about £26 each way per bag on Delta, £106 for two return); a resort fee, if the hotel has one, is collected at the desk. Prices are what we found at the time shown; the booking site’s checkout is the binding one.
The flight
£338 per person, return
£677 for two, taxes and fees included · Delta · 1 stop · 4h 3m
Out Fri, Oct 23, 5:51 AM – Fri, Oct 23, 10:54 AM
| Airline | Per person | Stops | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delta | £338 | 1 stop | 4h 3m |
| American. Operated by PSA Airlines as American Eagle | £419 | 1 stop | 5h 8m |
| Delta | £338 | 1 stop | 5h 14m |
Prices checked 14 Oct 2026, 04:43 GMT-5. Prices change; the binding price is the one on the booking site.
Paid links: when you book through a link on this page, the booking site pays us a referral fee. Your price does not change. How we earn
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Why now
The fare is $449 per person round trip, which is $769 below the typical fare on this route. That's 63% under the $1,218 median from our earlier checks. It's also the lowest in 30 days across the 7 checks we've run, and the 12 offers we saw ranged from $449 to $773. Prices are all-in, taxes and fees included, as of when we checked, and they can change. The timing works too: late October is peak fall foliage in the Smokies. It's also one of the busiest weekends of the year, so expect company on the trails and roads. The forecast calls for highs of 59–66°F, lows down to 37°F and little rain, which is good weather for hikes and scenic drives. Our sample budget for two comes to $1,542, covering flights, the best-value hotel and $360 for food and fun.
The kind of trip this is
This is a nature getaway: a fall-color weekend of mountain views, wildlife drives and short hikes, with Gatlinburg's restaurants close by for the evenings. It suits a couple or a pair of friends who like being outside. With 2 nights the pace is full but doable: arrive Friday morning, spend Saturday in the park and leave time Sunday for one more trail. Bring layers for the cool mornings.
Weather in Great Smoky Mountains, 23 – 25 Oct
Highs 59–66°F, little rain expected
| Day | High | Low | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fri 23 Oct | 59 °F | 41 °F | 6% |
| Sat 24 Oct | 62 °F | 37 °F | 11% |
| Sun 25 Oct | 66 °F | 44 °F | 25% |
Where to stay in Great Smoky Mountains
All three picks are in Gatlinburg, a walkable resort town at the park entrance. It's the easy base for early starts into the Smokies. Zoders Inn and Suites is the best value: $284 for the stay ($142 a night) for a King Room, rated 8.2 from 1,812 reviews. Hotel Indigo Gatlinburg Downtown by IHG is the top rated at 9.4 from 301 reviews. It runs $909 for the stay ($455 a night) for a room with two queen beds, and it's the only one of the three with free cancellation. Sidney James Mountain Lodge is $452 for the stay ($226 a night) for a Double Room with Balcony. It's rated 8.1 from 3,296 reviews. All three are room only. If you want Dollywood and dinner shows, Pigeon Forge is the area for that.
Zoders Inn and Suites
£214 for 2 nights, two guests · £107 a night
See roomsHotel Indigo Gatlinburg Downtown by IHG
£685 for 2 nights, two guests · £343 a night
See roomsSidney James Mountain Lodge
£341 for 2 nights, two guests · £170 a night
See roomsAll hotels in Great Smoky Mountains for these dates
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Where in Great Smoky Mountains
- Gatlinburg: Walkable resort town at the park entrance with cabins in the hills.
- Pigeon Forge: Family attractions, dinner shows and Dollywood.
- Sevierville: Lower-cost hotels and cabin rentals a short drive out.
- Townsend: The quiet side of the Smokies, near Cades Cove.
- Bryson City, NC: Small-town base on the North Carolina side with the scenic railroad.
What to do in Great Smoky Mountains
- Drive the Cades Cove loop at dawn, when bears and deer are out.
- Hike up to the Clingmans Dome observation tower for ridge views.
- Pick a trail: Laurel Falls for something easy or Alum Cave Bluffs for a longer day.
- Walk the Gatlinburg SkyBridge above town.
- Spend a day at Dollywood in Pigeon Forge.
Also worth it
- Hike to the Clingmans Dome observation tower
- Hike to Laurel Falls or Alum Cave Bluffs
- See the synchronous fireflies at Elkmont in June
Tours and tickets in Great Smoky Mountains
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Getting there and around
| Airports in Madison | Dane County Regional (MSN) |
|---|---|
| Airports in Great Smoky Mountains | Knoxville McGhee Tyson (TYS), Asheville Regional (AVL) |
| Flight time | 4h 3m (1 stop) |
| Distance | 598 miles each way |
| Time difference | +1 hour |
Paid links: when you book through a link on this page, the booking site pays us a referral fee. Your price does not change. How we earn
What 2 nights in Great Smoky Mountains costs
| Estimate | |
|---|---|
| Flights for two | £677 |
| Hotel, 2 nights (Zoders Inn and Suites) | £214 |
| Food, getting around and tickets, 2 days for two | £271 |
| Total for two | £1,162 |
Flights and hotel are the prices we found; spending is a planning estimate for a mid-range destination, per person per day times two.
Price history: Madison to Great Smoky Mountains
| Per person | |
|---|---|
| This trip | £338 per person |
| Lowest in the last 30 days | £338 (14 Oct 2026) |
| Typical price, last 60 days | £918 |
| Price checks | 7 |
Good to know
- Passport: no passport needed for travellers from the United States: a government photo ID is enough for Great Smoky Mountains.
- Currency: US dollar (USD).
- Peak fall foliage and the busiest weekends of the year
- No passport needed, and you'll pay in US dollars.
- The Smokies are 1 hour ahead of Madison. The Delta flight takes 4h 3m with one stop, covering 598 miles.
- You'll fly into Knoxville McGhee Tyson (TYS). Asheville Regional (AVL) also serves the area.
- October is peak fall foliage and one of the busiest times of the year, so plan for crowds.
- All three hotels are room only. Only Hotel Indigo Gatlinburg Downtown by IHG offers free cancellation.
Questions readers ask
How much is the flight?
When we checked, it was $449 per person round trip on Delta, or $898 for two, with taxes and fees included. That's $769 below the typical fare on this route. Prices can change after we check.
What are the flight times?
The $449 Delta flight leaves Madison at 5:51 AM on Friday, Oct 23, and lands in Knoxville at 10:54 AM local time. It has one stop and takes 4h 3m. A second Delta option at the same price leaves at 11:14 AM.
Do I need a passport?
No. It's a domestic trip, so you won't need a passport, and you'll pay in US dollars.
What is the weather like?
The forecast shows overcast days with highs of 59°F on Friday, 62°F on Saturday and 66°F on Sunday. Lows dip to 37°F. Sunday has a 25% chance of drizzle, and the other two days are at 11% or less.
Is 2 nights enough?
It's enough for a focused weekend. Landing at 10:54 AM Friday gives you an afternoon in Gatlinburg, a full Saturday for Cades Cove or Clingmans Dome, and part of Sunday too. Dollywood would need a day of its own.
What will the whole trip cost?
Our sample budget for two is $1,542. That covers $898 for flights, $284 for 2 nights at Zoders Inn and Suites, and $360 for food and spending, about $90 per person per day.
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All trips from Madison · Great Smoky Mountains from every city · Prices on this route · Trips in October 2026 · Home
Great Smoky Mountains in pictures
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Prices converted from US dollars at the rate of 15 Oct 2026.
Image credits
- Photo: Connor Scott McManus / Pexels, Pexels License
- Photo: Owen.outdoors / Pexels, Pexels License
- Photo: Joshua Woroniecki / Pexels, Pexels License