Drive or Fly: Chapel Hill, NC to Carrboro, 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–RDU. At 253 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

5h 19m

Distance

253.8 mi

Total Cost

$91

CO2

103 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$56

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 42m

24m in the air

Air Distance

203 mi

Total Cost

$183

CO2

52 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Chapel Hill, NC → AVL 54m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 24m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

RDU → Carrboro, NC 24m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $128) $128

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Chapel Hill, NC AVL — Asheville Regional Airport 36 mi, ~54m drive

Carrboro, NC RDU — Raleigh-Durham International Airport 16 mi, ~24m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between AVL 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

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

5h 39m

4h 25m on road

Total Cost

$22

CO2

11 kg

Route

Greyhound US0654s

Door-to-Door Timeline

Chapel Hill, NC → Asheville, NC (ASN6) 39m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 265m

Arrival 10m

Chapel Hill, NC (CPH6) → Carrboro, NC 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $22) $22

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

Stations

From ASN6 — Asheville, NC 26 mi, ~39m drive

To CPH6 — Chapel Hill, NC 4 mi, ~10m 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	5h 19m	3h 42m	5h 39m
Total cost (1 person)	$91	$183	$22
Carbon footprint	103 kg CO₂	52 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 Chapel Hill, NC to Carrboro, NC with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.