Drive or Fly: Spruce Pine, NC to High Point, 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 AVL–GSO. At 147 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 34m

Distance

147.4 mi

Total Cost

$68

CO2

60 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$33

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 34m

14m in the air

Air Distance

115 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

29 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Spruce Pine, NC → AVL 64m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 14m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

GSO → High Point, NC 16m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

Spruce Pine, NC AVL — Asheville Regional Airport 43 mi, ~64m drive

High Point, NC GSO — Piedmont Triad International Airport 11 mi, ~16m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between AVL 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

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

6h 27m

3h 57m on rail

Total Cost

$26

CO2

7 kg

Route

Crescent

Door-to-Door Timeline

Spruce Pine, NC → Spartanburg Amtrak Station 100m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 237m

Arrival 10m

High Point → High Point, NC 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $26) $26

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

Stations

From Spartanburg Amtrak Station 67 mi, ~100m drive

To High Point 0 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~11/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 11 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

3h 20m on road

Total Cost

$17

CO2

9 kg

Route

Greyhound US0654s

Door-to-Door Timeline

Spruce Pine, NC → Asheville, NC (ASN6) 53m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 200m

Arrival 10m

Greensboro Bus Stop (GBO6) → High Point, NC 22m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $17) $17

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

Stations

From ASN6 — Asheville, NC 35 mi, ~53m drive

To GBO6 — Greensboro Bus Stop 14 mi, ~22m 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 34m	3h 34m	6h 27m	5h
Total cost (1 person)	$68	$125	$26	$17
Carbon footprint	60 kg CO₂	29 kg CO₂	7 kg CO₂	9 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 16, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Spruce Pine, NC to High Point, NC with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.