Drive or Fly: Wilmington, NC to Kinston, 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–PGV. At 87 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 56m

Distance

87.3 mi

Total Cost

$54

CO2

35 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$19

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 1m

9m in the air

Air Distance

75 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

19 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Wilmington, NC → ILM 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 9m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

PGV → Kinston, NC 42m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

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

Kinston, NC PGV — Pitt-Greenville Airport 28 mi, ~42m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ILM and PGV. 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

2h 35m

1h 35m on rail

Total Cost

$14

CO2

4 kg

Route

Amtrak Thruway Connecting Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

Wilmington, NC → Wilmington Amtrak Station 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 95m

Arrival 10m

Kinston → Kinston, NC 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $14) $14

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

Stations

From Wilmington Amtrak Station 4 mi, ~10m drive

To Kinston 1 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~1/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 1 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	1h 56m	3h 1m	2h 35m
Total cost (1 person)	$54	$123	$14
Carbon footprint	35 kg CO₂	19 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: Amtrak 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 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

87.3 mi 1h 55m

via I 40; US 117; NC 132, NC 41, NC 11

Alternative (+20 min)

97.9 mi 2h 16m

via US 258, NC 53, I 40; US 117; NC 132

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