Drive or Fly: Fairmont, NC to Raleigh, 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 FAY–RDU. At 107 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 45m

Distance

107.7 mi

Total Cost

$59

CO2

44 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$24

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 23m

11m in the air

Air Distance

92 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

23 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Fairmont, NC → FAY 55m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 11m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

RDU → Raleigh, NC 17m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

Fairmont, NC FAY — Fayetteville Regional Airport - Grannis Field 37 mi, ~55m drive

Raleigh, NC RDU — Raleigh-Durham International Airport 11 mi, ~17m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between FAY 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

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly
Door-to-door time	1h 45m	3h 23m
Total cost (1 person)	$59	$124
Carbon footprint	44 kg CO₂	23 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

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 16, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

104 mi 2h 8m

via I 95; US 301, I 40, NC 41

Alternative (+11 min)

104.9 mi 2h 20m

via I 95; US 301, Old Stage Road North, NC 41

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Fairmont, NC to Raleigh, NC with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.