Drive or Fly: New Bern, NC to Jacksonville, 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 EWN–OAJ. At 40 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

52m

Distance

40.1 mi

Total Cost

$44

CO2

16 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$9

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 31m

4m in the air

Air Distance

33 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

8 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

New Bern, NC → EWN 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 4m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

OAJ → Jacksonville, NC 17m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

New Bern, NC EWN — Coastal Carolina Regional Airport 3 mi, ~10m drive

Jacksonville, NC OAJ — Albert J Ellis Airport 12 mi, ~17m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between EWN and OAJ. 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 25m

40m on road

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

Greyhound US0658s

Door-to-Door Timeline

New Bern, NC → New Bern (U Pick) (NBW6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 40m

Arrival 10m

Jacksonville Bus Stop (JVL6) → Jacksonville, NC 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $3) $3

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

Stations

From NBW6 — New Bern (U Pick) 2 mi, ~10m drive

To JVL6 — Jacksonville Bus Stop 2 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	Bus
Door-to-door time	52m	2h 31m	1h 25m
Total cost (1 person)	$44	$121	$3
Carbon footprint	16 kg CO₂	8 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 17, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from New Bern, NC to Jacksonville, NC with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.