Drive or Fly: Knightdale, NC to Concord, 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 155 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 2m

Distance

155.1 mi

Total Cost

$69

CO2

63 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$34

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 53m

15m in the air

Air Distance

121 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

31 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Knightdale, NC → RDU 27m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 15m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

USA → Concord, NC 11m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

Knightdale, NC RDU — Raleigh-Durham International Airport 18 mi, ~27m drive

Concord, NC USA — Concord-Padgett Regional Airport 7 mi, ~11m 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 41m

2h 37m on rail

Total Cost

$23

CO2

7 kg

Route

Piedmont

Door-to-Door Timeline

Knightdale, NC → Raleigh Union Station 14m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 157m

Arrival 10m

Kannapolis → Concord, NC 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $23) $23

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

Stations

From Raleigh Union Station 9 mi, ~14m drive

To Kannapolis 7 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~3/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 3 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

4h 24m

3h 20m on road

Total Cost

$15

CO2

8 kg

Route

FlixBus N2471

Door-to-Door Timeline

Knightdale, NC → Raleigh (New Bern Ave) (4RA) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 200m

Arrival 10m

Charlotte Bus Station (CLT6) → Concord, NC 29m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $15) $15

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

Stations

From 4RA — Raleigh (New Bern Ave) 5 mi, ~10m drive

To CLT6 — Charlotte Bus Station 19 mi, ~29m 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	3h 2m	2h 53m	3h 41m	4h 24m
Total cost (1 person)	$69	$125	$23	$15
Carbon footprint	63 kg CO₂	31 kg CO₂	7 kg CO₂	8 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 18, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

155.1 mi 3h 1m

via I 85, I 85; US 70, I 540

Shortest (+3 min)

134.6 mi 3h 5m

via US 64, NC 49, NC 73

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