Great Smoky Mountains from Columbus, Oct 23–25: $1,718 for two, all in
The verdict
Our verdict
Worth it, if
- $69 per person below the typical fare on this route
- Sidney James Mountain Lodge, rated 8.1 by 3,295 guests
- Highs 73–78°F, little rain expected
The catch: Not nonstop: 2 stops on the way, 49h 25m 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 Columbus to the Great Smoky Mountains were $600 per person ($1,200 for two) when we checked, for Oct 23–25, 2026, 2 nights. It's MX + G4 with 2 stops, not nonstop, and the forecast is overcast with highs of 75–80°F. The best-value hotel, Edgewater Hotel and Conference Center in Gatlinburg, is $471 for the stay with breakfast.
The total, before you go
$1,718 for two · 2 nights · flights, hotel, taxes, fees & the resort fee
| For two | |
|---|---|
| Flights for two, round trip | $1,215 |
| Sidney James Mountain Lodge, 2 nights, two guests, taxes in | $452 |
| Resort fee, collected at the desk | $51 |
| The total, before you go | $1,718 |
| A checked bag each, round trip (not in the total) | about $160 |
$69 per person below the typical fare on this route.
Not in it: seat picks on basic fares and a checked bag (about $40 each way per bag on Breeze, $160 for two round trip); the resort fee is counted above. Prices are what we found at the time shown; the booking site’s checkout is the binding one.
The flight
$608 per person, round trip
$1,215 for two, taxes and fees included · MX + G4 · 2 stops · 49h 25m
Out Fri, Oct 23, 7:35 PM – Sat, Oct 24, 9:43 AM · back Sun, Oct 25, 6:00 AM – Mon, Oct 26, 5:17 PM
| Airline | Per person | Stops | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| MX + G4 | $608 | 2 stops | 49h 25m |
| American. Operated by PSA Airlines as American Eagle + Piedmont Airlines as American Eagle | $677 | 1 stop | 3h 32m |
| MX + G4 | $633 | 2 stops | 46h 40m |
Prices checked Oct 14, 2026, 8:37 PM EDT. 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
Tweak this trip
Why now
$600 per person round trip, all-in when we checked, is $110 below the typical fare on this route. The typical fare is $710, based on 12 earlier checks, so this one is 15% below typical. The fares we saw ran from $600 to $657, and the lowest in the last 30 days was $589, so this isn't the floor and it may not hold. The real draw is the timing: late October is peak fall foliage in the Smokies, and these are the busiest weekends of the year. The forecast shows highs of 75–80°F, lows of 55–63°F and rain chances of 5–18%. Heads-up: the $600 fare takes 32h 11m with 2 stops, so you're saving money, not time. It's a trip for leaf-peeping drives and a couple of good hikes.
The kind of trip this is
This is a nature getaway: overlooks, waterfall trails and slow scenic drives, with Dollywood and the Gatlinburg strip for a change of pace. It suits a couple or two friends who like to get outside early and don't mind crowds, since late October is the busiest stretch of the year. The cheapest flight lands Saturday morning, so you really get one full day plus Sunday. Plan a light schedule.
Weather in Great Smoky Mountains, Oct 23–25
Highs 73–78°F, little rain expected
| Day | High | Low | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fri, Oct 23 | 73 °F | 52 °F | 5% |
| Sat, Oct 24 | 75 °F | 52 °F | 4% |
| Sun, Oct 25 | 78 °F | 53 °F | 23% |
Where to stay in Great Smoky Mountains
All three picks are in Gatlinburg, the walkable resort town at the park entrance, with cabins in the hills. Edgewater Hotel and Conference Center is the best value: $471 for 2 nights ($236 a night), breakfast included, rated 8.1 from 3,049 reviews. Historic Rocky Waters Inn, A Small Luxury Hotel is the top rated at 9 from 447 reviews. It's a 4-star stay at $1,226 for 2 nights ($613 a night), room only. The Wander Hotel by Wyndham is the backup if Edgewater fills up: $496 for the stay ($248 a night) with breakfast, rated 7.4 from 1,704 reviews. All three showed free cancellation. If you'd rather stay a short drive out with lower-cost hotels and cabin rentals, look at Sevierville. Townsend is the quiet side, near Cades Cove.
Sidney James Mountain Lodge
$452 for 2 nights, two guests · $226 a night
See roomsHotel Indigo Gatlinburg Downtown by IHG
$858 for 2 nights, two guests · $429 a night
See roomsThe Wander Hotel by Wyndham
$496 for 2 nights, two guests · $248 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 to the Clingmans Dome observation tower for views over the ridges.
- Pick Laurel Falls or Alum Cave Bluffs for a hike through the fall color.
- Walk the Gatlinburg SkyBridge for a different look at the hills around town.
- Give a day to Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, which also has dinner shows.
Also worth it
- Spend a day at Dollywood in Pigeon Forge
- 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 Columbus | John Glenn Columbus International (CMH), Rickenbacker International (LCK) |
|---|---|
| Airports in Great Smoky Mountains | Knoxville McGhee Tyson (TYS), Asheville Regional (AVL) |
| Flight time | 49h 25m (2 stops) |
| Distance | 295 miles each way |
| Time difference | same time zone |
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 | $1,216 |
| Hotel, 2 nights (Sidney James Mountain Lodge) | $452 |
| Food, getting around and tickets, 2 days for two | $360 |
| Total for two | $2,028 |
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: Columbus to Great Smoky Mountains
| Per person | |
|---|---|
| This trip | $608 per person |
| Lowest in the last 30 days | $589 (Oct 13, 2026) |
| Typical price, last 60 days | $677 |
| Price checks | 17 |
Good to know
- Passport: no passport needed for travelers 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. It's a domestic trip, prices are in US dollars and there's no time difference from Columbus.
- The $600 fare leaves CMH Friday, Oct 23 at 7:35 PM and lands at TYS Saturday at 9:43 AM, 32h 11m with 2 stops.
- The return leaves Sunday, Oct 25 at 9:29 PM and lands Monday, Oct 26 at 3:32 PM, so plan on taking Monday off.
- October is peak fall foliage and brings the busiest weekends of the year in the Smokies.
- All three hotels showed free cancellation. Prices are all-in as we found them and can change.
Questions readers ask
How much is the flight?
We found $600 per person round trip, or $1,200 for two, all-in on MX + G4 with 2 stops. There's also a 1-stop American option at $657 per person ($1,314 for two). It leaves CMH at 5:00 AM Friday and lands at 8:32 AM, a 3h 32m trip.
What does the whole weekend cost for two?
Our estimate for two is $2,031: $1,200 for flights, $471 for 2 nights at Edgewater Hotel and Conference Center, and $360 for spending, which works out to $90 per person per day.
Is 2 nights enough?
It's tight. On the $600 fare you land Saturday at 9:43 AM, so the Friday hotel night goes unused. The $657 American option lands Friday at 8:32 AM and gives you two full days.
What is the weather like?
The forecast is overcast all three days. Highs are 80°F, 77°F and 75°F, with lows of 55–63°F. Rain chances are 5%, 9% and 18%.
Do I need a passport?
No. It's a domestic trip, so you just need a regular ID for the flight. Prices are in US dollars, and Columbus and the Smokies are in the same time zone.
Is $600 a good price?
It's $110 below the typical fare of $710 on this route, or 15% under. Across 12 checks over the last 30 days, the lowest we saw was $589, so it has been cheaper recently.
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Great Smoky Mountains in pictures
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