Drive or Fly: West Raleigh, NC to Angier, 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–RDU. At 22 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:
Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

37m

Distance

22.8 mi

Total Cost

$40

CO2

9 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$5
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 55m

2m in the air

Air Distance

20 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

5 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

West Raleigh, NC → RDU 14m
Check-in & Security 90m
Flight 2m
Arrival & Baggage 30m
RDU → Angier, NC 39m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

West Raleigh, NC RDU — Raleigh-Durham International Airport 9 mi, ~14m drive
Angier, NC RDU — Raleigh-Durham International Airport 26 mi, ~39m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between RDU and RDU. 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

1h 47m

40m on road

Total Cost

$3

CO2

2 kg

Route

Greyhound US0656S

Door-to-Door Timeline

West Raleigh, NC → Raleigh Bus Station (RAL6) 10m
Boarding 15m
Bus ride 40m
Arrival 10m
Smithfield (Super Disc Mini Mart) (SMF6) → Angier, NC 32m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $3) $3

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

Stations

From RAL6 — Raleigh Bus Station 3 mi, ~10m drive
To SMF6 — Smithfield (Super Disc Mini Mart) 21 mi, ~32m 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 37m 2h 55m 1h 47m
Total cost (1 person) $40 $121 $3
Carbon footprint 9 kg CO2 5 kg CO2 2 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 West Raleigh, NC to Angier, NC with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.