Drive or Fly: Carolina Beach, NC to Wilmington, 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–ILM. At 14 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

23m

Distance

14.3 mi

Total Cost

$38

CO2

6 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$3

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 37m

2m in the air

Air Distance

13 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

3 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Carolina Beach, NC → ILM 25m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 2m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

ILM → Wilmington, NC 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

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

Wilmington, NC ILM — Wilmington International Airport 4 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ILM and ILM. 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	23m	2h 37m
Total cost (1 person)	$38	$121
Carbon footprint	6 kg CO₂	3 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 12, 2026.

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