Drive or Fly: Fayetteville, NC to Silver Lake, 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–ILM. At 94 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 13m

Distance

94.6 mi

Total Cost

$56

CO2

38 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$21

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 33m

10m in the air

Air Distance

83 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

21 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Fayetteville, NC → FAY 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 10m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

ILM → Silver Lake, NC 13m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Fayetteville, NC FAY — Fayetteville Regional Airport - Grannis Field 4 mi, ~10m drive

Silver Lake, NC ILM — Wilmington International Airport 9 mi, ~13m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between FAY 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

3h 6m

2h 20m on road

Total Cost

CO2

5 kg

Route

Greyhound US0660s

Door-to-Door Timeline

Fayetteville, NC → Fayetteville Bus Station (FAY6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 140m

Arrival 10m

Wilmington Cape Fear Public Transit (WNC6) → Silver Lake, NC 11m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $9) $9

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

Stations

From FAY6 — Fayetteville Bus Station 0 mi, ~10m drive

To WNC6 — Wilmington Cape Fear Public Transit 7 mi, ~11m 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	2h 13m	2h 33m	3h 6m
Total cost (1 person)	$56	$123	$9
Carbon footprint	38 kg CO₂	21 kg CO₂	5 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

94.6 mi 2h 12m

via NC 87, US 74; US 76; NC 87, US 421 Truck

Shortest (+2 min)

92.6 mi 2h 15m

via NC 87, NC 53, US 74; US 76; NC 87

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