Drive or Fly: Charlotte, NC to Davidson, 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 CLT–USA. At 22 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

32m

Distance

22.2 mi

Total Cost

$40

CO2

9 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$5

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 28m

2m in the air

Air Distance

19 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

5 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Charlotte, NC → CLT 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 2m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

USA → Davidson, NC 16m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

Charlotte, NC CLT — Charlotte Douglas International Airport 6 mi, ~10m drive

Davidson, NC USA — Concord-Padgett Regional Airport 11 mi, ~16m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between CLT 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

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

1h 32m

24m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

Piedmont

Door-to-Door Timeline

Charlotte, NC → Charlotte Amtrak Station 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 24m

Arrival 10m

Kannapolis → Davidson, NC 18m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $4) $4

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

Stations

From Charlotte Amtrak Station 2 mi, ~10m drive

To Kannapolis 12 mi, ~18m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~3/week

+ Spacious seating with legroom and power outlets

+ Walk around freely during the trip

+ No driving fatigue — relax or work en route

+ Much lower carbon footprint than driving or flying

− Limited schedule — about 3 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

1h 12m

10m on road

Total Cost

CO2

0 kg

Route

FlixBus N2471

Door-to-Door Timeline

Charlotte, NC → Charlotte Bus Station (CLT6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 10m

Arrival 10m

Charlotte (Freedom Dr/Ashley Rd) (4HR) → Davidson, NC 27m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $0) $0

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

Stations

From CLT6 — Charlotte Bus Station 0 mi, ~10m drive

To 4HR — Charlotte (Freedom Dr/Ashley Rd) 18 mi, ~27m 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	Train	Bus
Door-to-door time	32m	2h 28m	1h 32m	1h 12m
Total cost (1 person)	$40	$121	$4	$0
Carbon footprint	9 kg CO₂	5 kg CO₂	1 kg CO₂	0 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: Amtrak GTFS, 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 Charlotte, NC to Davidson, NC with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.