Drive or Fly: Mount Olive, NC to Wilmington, 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 OAJ–ILM. At 81 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 38m

Distance

81.4 mi

Total Cost

$53

CO2

33 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$18

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 12m

8m in the air

Air Distance

67 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

17 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Mount Olive, NC → OAJ 54m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 8m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

ILM → Wilmington, NC 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Mount Olive, NC OAJ — Albert J Ellis Airport 36 mi, ~54m drive

Wilmington, NC ILM — Wilmington International Airport 4 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between OAJ 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

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

3h 20m

2h 10m on rail

Total Cost

$16

CO2

5 kg

Route

Amtrak Thruway Connecting Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

Mount Olive, NC → Goldsboro 20m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 130m

Arrival 10m

Wilmington Amtrak Station → Wilmington, NC 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $16) $16

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

Stations

From Goldsboro 14 mi, ~20m drive

To Wilmington Amtrak Station 4 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~1/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 1 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

2h 50m

1h 55m on road

Total Cost

CO2

5 kg

Route

Greyhound US0656S

Door-to-Door Timeline

Mount Olive, NC → Goldsboro (Wayne Transportation) (AAI6) 20m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 115m

Arrival 10m

Wilmington Cape Fear Public Transit (WNC6) → Wilmington, NC 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $9) $9

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

Stations

From AAI6 — Goldsboro (Wayne Transportation) 14 mi, ~20m drive

To WNC6 — Wilmington Cape Fear Public Transit 4 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~14/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

− 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 38m	3h 12m	3h 20m	2h 50m
Total cost (1 person)	$53	$123	$16	$9
Carbon footprint	33 kg CO₂	17 kg CO₂	5 kg CO₂	5 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 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

81.4 mi 1h 37m

via I 40, US 117 Connector

Shortest (+5 min)

78 mi 1h 42m

via I 40, Summerlin Crossroad Road, NC 11

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