Drive or Fly: Charlotte, 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 CLT–ILM. At 197 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

4h 3m

Distance

197.5 mi

Total Cost

$79

CO2

80 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$44

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 41m

21m in the air

Air Distance

179 mi

Total Cost

$127

CO2

46 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Charlotte, NC → CLT 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 21m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

ILM → Wilmington, NC 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $127) $127

Airports

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

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

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between CLT 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

7h 25m

6h 40m on road

Total Cost

$20

CO2

11 kg

Route

Greyhound US0660s

Door-to-Door Timeline

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

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 400m

Arrival 10m

Wilmington Cape Fear Public Transit (WNC6) → Wilmington, NC 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $20) $20

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

Stations

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

To WNC6 — Wilmington Cape Fear Public Transit 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	4h 3m	2h 41m	7h 25m
Total cost (1 person)	$79	$127	$20
Carbon footprint	80 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 Charlotte, NC to Wilmington, NC with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.