Drive or Fly: Maiden, NC to West 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 CLT–RDU. At 172 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 29m

Distance

172.6 mi

Total Cost

$73

CO2

70 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$38

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 15m

17m in the air

Air Distance

144 mi

Total Cost

$126

CO2

37 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Maiden, NC → CLT 44m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 17m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

RDU → West Raleigh, NC 14m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Airports

Maiden, NC CLT — Charlotte Douglas International Airport 29 mi, ~44m drive

West Raleigh, NC RDU — Raleigh-Durham International Airport 9 mi, ~14m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between CLT 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

4h 38m

3h 50m on road

Total Cost

$16

CO2

9 kg

Route

Greyhound US0654s

Door-to-Door Timeline

Maiden, NC → Newton (Citgo) (HKN6) 13m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 230m

Arrival 10m

Raleigh Bus Station (RAL6) → West Raleigh, NC 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $16) $16

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

Stations

From HKN6 — Newton (Citgo) 9 mi, ~13m drive

To RAL6 — Raleigh Bus Station 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 29m	3h 15m	4h 38m
Total cost (1 person)	$73	$126	$16
Carbon footprint	70 kg CO₂	37 kg CO₂	9 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 15, 2026.

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