Drive or Fly: Franklin, NC to Cary, 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 AVL–RDU. At 306 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

6h 8m

Distance

306.5 mi

Total Cost

$103

CO2

124 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$68

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 57m

31m in the air

Air Distance

262 mi

Total Cost

$185

CO2

67 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Franklin, NC → AVL 76m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 31m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

RDU → Cary, NC 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $130) $130

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Franklin, NC AVL — Asheville Regional Airport 51 mi, ~76m drive

Cary, NC RDU — Raleigh-Durham International Airport 6 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between AVL and RDU. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 2h 11m compared to driving

+ Less physical fatigue

+ Predictable arrival time

− Airport security and check-in overhead

− No scheduled commercial flights found for this route

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

7h 11m

5h 10m on road

Total Cost

$24

CO2

13 kg

Route

Greyhound US0654s

Door-to-Door Timeline

Franklin, NC → Asheville, NC (ASN6) 82m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 310m

Arrival 10m

Raleigh Bus Station (RAL6) → Cary, NC 14m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $24) $24

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

Stations

From ASN6 — Asheville, NC 54 mi, ~82m drive

To RAL6 — Raleigh Bus Station 9 mi, ~14m 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	6h 8m	3h 57m	7h 11m
Total cost (1 person)	$103	$185	$24
Carbon footprint	124 kg CO₂	67 kg CO₂	13 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 13, 2026.

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