Drive or Fly: Wilmington, NC to Archer Lodge, 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–RDU. At 122 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 30m

Distance

122.4 mi

Total Cost

$62

CO2

49 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$27

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 3m

13m in the air

Air Distance

104 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

27 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Wilmington, NC → ILM 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 13m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

RDU → Archer Lodge, NC 40m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

Wilmington, NC ILM — Wilmington International Airport 4 mi, ~10m drive

Archer Lodge, NC RDU — Raleigh-Durham International Airport 26 mi, ~40m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ILM 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly
Door-to-door time	2h 30m	3h 3m
Total cost (1 person)	$62	$124
Carbon footprint	49 kg CO₂	27 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 16, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

122.4 mi 2h 29m

via I 40; US 117; NC 132, US 701, Buffalo Road

Alternative (+1 min)

127.3 mi 2h 31m

via I 40; US 117; NC 132, Martin Luther King Jr Parkway, Ranch Road

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Wilmington, NC to Archer Lodge, NC with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.