Drive or Fly: Carolina Beach, 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 ILM–USA. At 210 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

4h 30m

Distance

210.1 mi

Total Cost

$82

CO2

85 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$47

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

2h 58m

22m in the air

Air Distance

180 mi

Total Cost

$182

CO2

46 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Carolina Beach, NC → ILM 25m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 22m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

USA → Concord, NC 11m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $127) $127

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Carolina Beach, NC ILM — Wilmington International Airport 16 mi, ~25m drive

Concord, NC USA — Concord-Padgett Regional Airport 7 mi, ~11m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ILM 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

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

7h 31m

6h 15m on road

Total Cost

$20

CO2

11 kg

Route

Greyhound US0660s

Door-to-Door Timeline

Carolina Beach, NC → Wilmington Cape Fear Public Transit (WNC6) 22m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 375m

Arrival 10m

Charlotte Bus Station (CLT6) → Concord, NC 29m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $20) $20

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

Stations

From WNC6 — Wilmington Cape Fear Public Transit 15 mi, ~22m drive

To CLT6 — Charlotte Bus Station 19 mi, ~29m 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	4h 30m	2h 58m	7h 31m
Total cost (1 person)	$82	$182	$20
Carbon footprint	85 kg CO₂	46 kg CO₂	11 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 12, 2026.

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