Drive or Fly: Atlantic Beach, NC to Cary, 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 EWN–RDU. At 158 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 49m

Distance

158.6 mi

Total Cost

$70

CO2

64 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$35

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 14m

17m in the air

Air Distance

138 mi

Total Cost

$126

CO2

35 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Atlantic Beach, NC → EWN 47m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 17m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

RDU → Cary, NC 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Airports

Atlantic Beach, NC EWN — Coastal Carolina Regional Airport 31 mi, ~47m drive

Cary, NC RDU — Raleigh-Durham International Airport 6 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between EWN and RDU. 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

4h 51m

3h 20m on road

Total Cost

$11

CO2

6 kg

Route

Greyhound US0652s

Door-to-Door Timeline

Atlantic Beach, NC → New Bern (U Pick) (NBW6) 52m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 200m

Arrival 10m

Raleigh Bus Station (RAL6) → Cary, NC 14m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $11) $11

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

Stations

From NBW6 — New Bern (U Pick) 35 mi, ~52m drive

To RAL6 — Raleigh Bus Station 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	2h 49m	3h 14m	4h 51m
Total cost (1 person)	$70	$126	$11
Carbon footprint	64 kg CO₂	35 kg CO₂	6 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 Atlantic Beach, NC to Cary, NC with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.