Drive or Fly: Wilmington, NC to Mount Gilead, 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–TRI. At 331 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

6h 49m

Distance

331.1 mi

Total Cost

$108

CO2

134 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$73

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 29m

32m in the air

Air Distance

264 mi

Total Cost

$186

CO2

67 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Wilmington, NC → ILM 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 32m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

TRI → Mount Gilead, NC 47m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $131) $131

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

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

Mount Gilead, NC TRI — Tri-Cities Regional TN/VA Airport 31 mi, ~47m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ILM and TRI. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 3h 20m compared to driving

+ 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly
Door-to-door time	6h 49m	3h 29m
Total cost (1 person)	$108	$186
Carbon footprint	134 kg CO₂	67 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 18, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

331.1 mi 6h 49m

via US 421, US 220, US 74; US 76

Alternative (+1 min)

338.7 mi 6h 51m

via I 40, I 40; US 117; NC 132, US 421

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