Drive or Fly: Asheville, NC to Long Beach, 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 AVL–ILM. At 334 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

6h 54m

Distance

334.3 mi

Total Cost

$109

CO2

135 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$74

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 32m

33m in the air

Air Distance

278 mi

Total Cost

$186

CO2

71 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Asheville, NC → AVL 17m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 33m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

ILM → Long Beach, NC 42m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $131) $131

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Asheville, NC AVL — Asheville Regional Airport 12 mi, ~17m drive

Long Beach, NC ILM — Wilmington International Airport 28 mi, ~42m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between AVL and ILM. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 3h 22m compared to driving

+ Less physical fatigue

+ Predictable arrival time

− Airport security and check-in overhead

− No scheduled commercial flights found for this route

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly
Door-to-door time	6h 54m	3h 32m
Total cost (1 person)	$109	$186
Carbon footprint	135 kg CO₂	71 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

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 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

334.3 mi 6h 53m

via US 74, NC 211, US 74; NC 130

Alternative (+15 min)

353.8 mi 7h 8m

via I 26; US 74, I 20, I 26; I 240; US 19 BUS; US 23 BUS

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Asheville, NC to Long Beach, NC with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.