Drive or Fly: Southport, NC to Greensboro, 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 ILM–GSO. At 199 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

4h 28m

Distance

199.1 mi

Total Cost

$79

CO2

80 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$44

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

22m in the air

Air Distance

179 mi

Total Cost

$127

CO2

46 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Southport, NC → ILM 38m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 22m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

GSO → Greensboro, NC 12m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $127) $127

Airports

Southport, NC ILM — Wilmington International Airport 25 mi, ~38m drive

Greensboro, NC GSO — Piedmont Triad International Airport 8 mi, ~12m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ILM and GSO. 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly
Door-to-door time	4h 28m	3h 12m
Total cost (1 person)	$79	$127
Carbon footprint	80 kg CO₂	46 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

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 Southport, NC to Greensboro, NC with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.