Drive or Fly: Wilmington, NC to Elizabeth City, 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–ORF. At 208 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

4h 31m

Distance

208 mi

Total Cost

$81

CO2

84 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$46

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 33m

21m in the air

Air Distance

172 mi

Total Cost

$182

CO2

44 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Wilmington, NC → ILM 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 21m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

ORF → Elizabeth City, NC 62m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $127) $127

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

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

Elizabeth City, NC ORF — Norfolk International Airport 42 mi, ~62m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ILM and ORF. 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

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

6h 30m

5h 45m on road

Total Cost

$19

CO2

10 kg

Route

Greyhound US0658s

Door-to-Door Timeline

Wilmington, NC → Wilmington Cape Fear Public Transit (WNC6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 345m

Arrival 10m

Elizabeth City (EZB6) → Elizabeth City, NC 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $19) $19

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

Stations

From WNC6 — Wilmington Cape Fear Public Transit 4 mi, ~10m drive

To EZB6 — Elizabeth City 3 mi, ~10m 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	4h 31m	3h 33m	6h 30m
Total cost (1 person)	$81	$182	$19
Carbon footprint	84 kg CO₂	44 kg CO₂	10 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 15, 2026.

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