Drive or Fly: Durham, NC to Mint Hill, 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 RDU–USA. At 144 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

2h 46m

Distance

144.4 mi

Total Cost

$67

CO2

58 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$32

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 51m

14m in the air

Air Distance

113 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

29 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Durham, NC → RDU 15m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 14m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

USA → Mint Hill, NC 22m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

Durham, NC RDU — Raleigh-Durham International Airport 10 mi, ~15m drive

Mint Hill, NC USA — Concord-Padgett Regional Airport 15 mi, ~22m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between RDU 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

3h 40m

2h 34m on rail

Total Cost

$24

CO2

7 kg

Route

Piedmont

Door-to-Door Timeline

Durham, NC → Durham Amtrak Station 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 154m

Arrival 10m

Charlotte Amtrak Station → Mint Hill, NC 16m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $24) $24

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

Stations

From Durham Amtrak Station 0 mi, ~10m drive

To Charlotte Amtrak Station 11 mi, ~16m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~4/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 4 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

3h 23m

2h 30m on road

Total Cost

$13

CO2

7 kg

Route

FlixBus N2470

Door-to-Door Timeline

Durham, NC → Durham (4DU) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 150m

Arrival 10m

Charlotte Bus Station (CLT6) → Mint Hill, NC 18m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $13) $13

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

Stations

From 4DU — Durham 0 mi, ~10m drive

To CLT6 — Charlotte Bus Station 12 mi, ~18m 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	2h 46m	2h 51m	3h 40m	3h 23m
Total cost (1 person)	$67	$125	$24	$13
Carbon footprint	58 kg CO₂	29 kg CO₂	7 kg CO₂	7 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 Durham, NC to Mint Hill, NC with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.