Drive or Fly: Statesville, 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 USA–AVL. At 139 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 2m

Distance

139.3 mi

Total Cost

$66

CO2

56 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$31

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 50m

12m in the air

Air Distance

103 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

26 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Statesville, NC → USA 44m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 12m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

AVL → Chapel Hill, NC 54m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

Statesville, NC USA — Concord-Padgett Regional Airport 29 mi, ~44m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between USA 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

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

2h 57m

1h 20m on road

Total Cost

CO2

4 kg

Route

Greyhound US0654s

Door-to-Door Timeline

Statesville, NC → Newton (Citgo) (HKN6) 33m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 80m

Arrival 10m

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

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $8) $8

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

Stations

From HKN6 — Newton (Citgo) 22 mi, ~33m 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	3h 2m	3h 50m	2h 57m
Total cost (1 person)	$66	$124	$8
Carbon footprint	56 kg CO₂	26 kg CO₂	4 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 18, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

139.3 mi 3h 2m

via I 40, US 25; US 70, I 240

Alternative (+33 min)

146 mi 3h 35m

via I 40, US 19E, NC 181

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