Drive or Fly: Apex, NC to Kings Mountain, NC?

Side-by-side comparison of driving versus flying for this route. Costs, time, and trade-offs at a glance.

Driving wins

Medium

No scheduled commercial flights found for RDU–CLT. At 180 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

3h 37m

Distance

180.8 mi

Total Cost

$75

CO2

73 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$40

Hotel (1 room, 0 nights) $0

Meals (1 pax, 1 day) $35

+ No luggage restrictions or TSA lines

+ Comfortable one-day drive

+ Stop anywhere along the route

+ Have your own car at the destination

+ Likely faster door-to-door than flying

− Wear and tear on vehicle

− Fuel price fluctuations

Plan the drive

Fly

Door to Door

3h 7m

17m in the air

Air Distance

144 mi

Total Cost

$126

CO2

37 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Apex, NC → RDU 16m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 17m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

CLT → Kings Mountain, NC 34m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Airports

Apex, NC RDU — Raleigh-Durham International Airport 11 mi, ~16m drive

Kings Mountain, NC CLT — Charlotte Douglas International Airport 23 mi, ~34m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between RDU and CLT. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Less physical fatigue

+ Predictable arrival time

− Airport security and check-in overhead

− No scheduled commercial flights found for this route

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

5h 40m

4h 40m on road

Total Cost

$16

CO2

9 kg

Route

Greyhound US0650s

Door-to-Door Timeline

Apex, NC → Raleigh Bus Station (RAL6) 21m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 280m

Arrival 10m

Gastonia Transit (GTS6) → Kings Mountain, NC 14m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $16) $16

Estimated based on distance. Check flixbus.com for current prices.

Stations

From RAL6 — Raleigh Bus Station 14 mi, ~21m drive

To GTS6 — Gastonia Transit 9 mi, ~14m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~7/week

+ Usually the cheapest option

+ Wi-Fi and power outlets on board

+ No driving fatigue — relax or work en route

+ Much lower carbon footprint than driving or flying

− Limited schedule — about 7 trips per week

− Travel time longer than driving

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Bus
Door-to-door time	3h 37m	3h 7m	5h 40m
Total cost (1 person)	$75	$126	$16
Carbon footprint	73 kg CO₂	37 kg CO₂	9 kg CO₂
Flexibility	High	Low
Luggage	Unlimited	Restricted
Reliability	Weather dependent	Data unavailable

Drive data: OSRM routing, EIA fuel prices

Flight data: Statistical estimate

Airports: OurAirports

Transit: FlixBus GTFS — fares estimated

Confidence: Medium — airports identified, fares estimated

Costs are estimates. Actual flight prices vary by airline, date, and booking time. Drive costs based on OSRM routing, EIA fuel prices. Computed Apr 16, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Apex, NC to Kings Mountain, NC with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.