Drive or Fly: Mount Airy, NC to Durham, 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 GSO–RDU. At 116 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

1h 56m

Distance

116.3 mi

Total Cost

$61

CO2

47 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$26

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 37m

12m in the air

Air Distance

101 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

26 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Mount Airy, NC → GSO 70m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 12m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

RDU → Durham, NC 15m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

Mount Airy, NC GSO — Piedmont Triad International Airport 46 mi, ~70m drive

Durham, NC RDU — Raleigh-Durham International Airport 10 mi, ~15m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between GSO 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

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

3h 26m

1h 21m on rail

Total Cost

$12

CO2

4 kg

Route

Piedmont

Door-to-Door Timeline

Mount Airy, NC → High Point 75m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 81m

Arrival 10m

Durham Amtrak Station → Durham, NC 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $12) $12

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

Stations

From High Point 50 mi, ~75m drive

To Durham Amtrak Station 0 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

3h 16m

1h 50m on road

Total Cost

CO2

4 kg

Route

Greyhound US0670

Door-to-Door Timeline

Mount Airy, NC → Winston Salem(Trans Center) (WNS6) 51m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 110m

Arrival 10m

Durham (4DU) → Durham, NC 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $8) $8

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

Stations

From WNS6 — Winston Salem(Trans Center) 34 mi, ~51m drive

To 4DU — Durham 0 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	Train	Bus
Door-to-door time	1h 56m	3h 37m	3h 26m	3h 16m
Total cost (1 person)	$61	$124	$12	$8
Carbon footprint	47 kg CO₂	26 kg CO₂	4 kg CO₂	4 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 13, 2026.

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