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Drive or Fly: Blowing Rock, NC to Concord, 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 TRI–USA. At 98 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:
Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 27m

Distance

98.2 mi

Total Cost

$57

CO2

40 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$22
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 31m

10m in the air

Air Distance

79 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

20 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Blowing Rock, NC → TRI 70m
Check-in & Security 90m
Flight 10m
Arrival & Baggage 30m
USA → Concord, NC 11m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Blowing Rock, NC TRI — Tri-Cities Regional TN/VA Airport 47 mi, ~70m drive
Concord, NC USA — Concord-Padgett Regional Airport 7 mi, ~11m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between TRI and USA. 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

At a Glance

Drive Fly
Door-to-door time 2h 27m 3h 31m
Total cost (1 person) $57 $123
Carbon footprint 40 kg CO2 20 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 18, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest
98.2 mi 2h 27m

via US 321, NC 73, NC 16

Alternative (+1 min)
105.6 mi 2h 28m

via US 321, NC 16, I 485

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Blowing Rock, NC to Concord, NC with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.