Drive or Fly: Raleigh, 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 RDU–OAJ. At 118 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

1h 57m

Distance

118.8 mi

Total Cost

$61

CO2

48 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

2h 46m

12m in the air

Air Distance

98 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

25 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Raleigh, NC → RDU 17m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 12m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

OAJ → Jacksonville, NC 17m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

Raleigh, NC RDU — Raleigh-Durham International Airport 11 mi, ~17m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between RDU 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

4h 15m on road

Total Cost

$11

CO2

6 kg

Route

Greyhound US0652s

Door-to-Door Timeline

Raleigh, NC → Raleigh Bus Station (RAL6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 255m

Arrival 10m

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

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $11) $11

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

Stations

From RAL6 — Raleigh Bus Station 3 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	1h 57m	2h 46m	5h
Total cost (1 person)	$61	$124	$11
Carbon footprint	48 kg CO₂	25 kg CO₂	6 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 12, 2026.

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