Drive or Fly: Chapel Hill, NC to Mount Airy, 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–GSO. At 196 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 53m

Distance

196.5 mi

Total Cost

$78

CO2

79 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$43

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

4h 19m

15m in the air

Air Distance

123 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

31 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Chapel Hill, NC → AVL 54m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 15m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

GSO → Mount Airy, NC 70m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

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

Mount Airy, NC GSO — Piedmont Triad International Airport 46 mi, ~70m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between AVL and GSO. 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 25m

2h 30m on road

Total Cost

$15

CO2

8 kg

Route

Greyhound US0654s

Door-to-Door Timeline

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

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 150m

Arrival 10m

Winston Salem(Trans Center) (WNS6) → Mount Airy, NC 51m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $15) $15

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

Stations

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

To WNS6 — Winston Salem(Trans Center) 34 mi, ~51m 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	3h 53m	4h 19m	4h 25m
Total cost (1 person)	$78	$125	$15
Carbon footprint	79 kg CO₂	31 kg CO₂	8 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 18, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

196.5 mi 3h 53m

via I 81, I 26; US 19W; US 23, I 77

Alternative (+17 min)

197.6 mi 4h 10m

via I 40, I 77, US 25; US 70

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Chapel Hill, NC to Mount Airy, NC with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.