Drive or Fly: Jacksonville, NC to Elizabeth City, 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 OAJ–ORF. At 150 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

3h 12m

Distance

150.7 mi

Total Cost

$68

CO2

61 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$33

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 34m

15m in the air

Air Distance

125 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

32 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Jacksonville, NC → OAJ 17m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 15m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

ORF → Elizabeth City, NC 62m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

Jacksonville, NC OAJ — Albert J Ellis Airport 12 mi, ~17m drive

Elizabeth City, NC ORF — Norfolk International Airport 42 mi, ~62m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between OAJ and ORF. 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

5h 5m

4h 20m on road

Total Cost

$14

CO2

7 kg

Route

Greyhound US0658s

Door-to-Door Timeline

Jacksonville, NC → Jacksonville Bus Stop (JVL6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 260m

Arrival 10m

Elizabeth City (EZB6) → Elizabeth City, NC 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $14) $14

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

Stations

From JVL6 — Jacksonville Bus Stop 2 mi, ~10m drive

To EZB6 — Elizabeth City 3 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	3h 12m	3h 34m	5h 5m
Total cost (1 person)	$68	$125	$14
Carbon footprint	61 kg CO₂	32 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: 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 Jacksonville, NC to Elizabeth City, NC with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.