Drive or Fly: Malpass Corner, NC to Topsail Beach, 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 ILM–ILM. At 53 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 18m

Distance

53.8 mi

Total Cost

$47

CO2

22 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$12

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 55m

3m in the air

Air Distance

26 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

7 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Malpass Corner, NC → ILM 27m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 3m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

ILM → Topsail Beach, NC 25m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

Malpass Corner, NC ILM — Wilmington International Airport 18 mi, ~27m drive

Topsail Beach, NC ILM — Wilmington International Airport 17 mi, ~25m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ILM 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

1h 54m

40m on road

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

Greyhound US0656S

Door-to-Door Timeline

Malpass Corner, NC → Wallace (Jif-A-Mart) (WLC6) 25m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 40m

Arrival 10m

Wilmington Cape Fear Public Transit (WNC6) → Topsail Beach, NC 24m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $4) $4

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

Stations

From WLC6 — Wallace (Jif-A-Mart) 17 mi, ~25m drive

To WNC6 — Wilmington Cape Fear Public Transit 16 mi, ~24m 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	1h 18m	2h 55m	1h 54m
Total cost (1 person)	$47	$121	$4
Carbon footprint	22 kg CO₂	7 kg CO₂	2 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

53.8 mi 1h 18m

via US 421, I 140, US 17

Alternative (+5 min)

54.1 mi 1h 24m

via NC 50, NC 53, Malpass Corner Road

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Malpass Corner, NC to Topsail Beach, NC with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.