Drive or Fly: Mount Gilead, 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 TRI–RDU. At 184 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

Distance

184 mi

Total Cost

$76

CO2

74 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$41

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 22m

20m in the air

Air Distance

169 mi

Total Cost

$127

CO2

43 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Mount Gilead, NC → TRI 47m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 20m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

RDU → Durham, NC 15m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $127) $127

Airports

Mount Gilead, NC TRI — Tri-Cities Regional TN/VA Airport 31 mi, ~47m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between TRI 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly
Door-to-door time	4h	3h 22m
Total cost (1 person)	$76	$127
Carbon footprint	74 kg CO₂	43 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

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.

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