Drive or Fly: Mount Pleasant, NC to Cary, 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 USA–RDU. At 105 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 29m

Distance

105 mi

Total Cost

$58

CO2

42 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$23

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 45m

12m in the air

Air Distance

97 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

25 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Mount Pleasant, NC → USA 23m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 12m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

RDU → Cary, NC 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

Mount Pleasant, NC USA — Concord-Padgett Regional Airport 15 mi, ~23m drive

Cary, NC RDU — Raleigh-Durham International Airport 6 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between USA 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 39m

2h 30m on rail

Total Cost

$21

CO2

6 kg

Route

Piedmont

Door-to-Door Timeline

Mount Pleasant, NC → Kannapolis 19m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 150m

Arrival 10m

Cary → Cary, NC 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $21) $21

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

Stations

From Kannapolis 13 mi, ~19m drive

To Cary 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 40m

2h 40m on road

Total Cost

$10

CO2

5 kg

Route

Greyhound US0650s

Door-to-Door Timeline

Mount Pleasant, NC → Albemarle (Vac & Dash) (ALR6) 21m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 160m

Arrival 10m

Raleigh Bus Station (RAL6) → Cary, NC 14m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $10) $10

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

Stations

From ALR6 — Albemarle (Vac & Dash) 14 mi, ~21m drive

To RAL6 — Raleigh Bus Station 9 mi, ~14m 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	2h 29m	2h 45m	3h 39m	3h 40m
Total cost (1 person)	$58	$124	$21	$10
Carbon footprint	42 kg CO₂	25 kg CO₂	6 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

105 mi 2h 29m

via NC 49, US 64; NC 49, US 64

Alternative (+12 min)

117.5 mi 2h 41m

via NC 24; NC 27; NC 109, US 1, US 1; US 15; US 501

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