Drive or Fly: Southern Pines, NC to Chapel Hill, 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 FAY–AVL. At 256 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

5h 38m

Distance

256 mi

Total Cost

$92

CO2

103 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$57

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

4h 4m

23m in the air

Air Distance

194 mi

Total Cost

$183

CO2

49 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Southern Pines, NC → FAY 47m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 23m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

AVL → Chapel Hill, NC 54m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $128) $128

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Southern Pines, NC FAY — Fayetteville Regional Airport - Grannis Field 32 mi, ~47m drive

Chapel Hill, NC AVL — Asheville Regional Airport 36 mi, ~54m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between FAY and AVL. 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

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

6h 39m

5h 25m on road

Total Cost

$20

CO2

10 kg

Route

Greyhound US0650s

Door-to-Door Timeline

Southern Pines, NC → Southern Pines (BP Gas Station) (SHP6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 325m

Arrival 10m

Asheville, NC (ASN6) → Chapel Hill, NC 39m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $20) $20

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

Stations

From SHP6 — Southern Pines (BP Gas Station) 1 mi, ~10m drive

To ASN6 — Asheville, NC 26 mi, ~39m 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	5h 38m	4h 4m	6h 39m
Total cost (1 person)	$92	$183	$20
Carbon footprint	103 kg CO₂	49 kg CO₂	10 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.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

256 mi 5h 38m

via I 40, US 64, I 73; I 74; US 220

Alternative (+2 min)

259.5 mi 5h 41m

via US 74, I 26; US 74, US 1

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Southern Pines, NC to Chapel Hill, NC with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.