Drive or Fly: Wilmington, NC to Sunset Beach, 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–MYR. At 47 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 5m

Distance

47 mi

Total Cost

$45

CO2

19 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$10

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 56m

5m in the air

Air Distance

40 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

10 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Wilmington, NC → ILM 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 5m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MYR → Sunset Beach, NC 41m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

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

Sunset Beach, NC MYR — Myrtle Beach International Airport 28 mi, ~41m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ILM and MYR. 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

2h 48m

1h 35m on road

Total Cost

CO2

4 kg

Route

Greyhound US0658s

Door-to-Door Timeline

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

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 95m

Arrival 10m

Myrtle Beach Bus Station (MYB6) → Sunset Beach, NC 38m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $8) $8

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

Stations

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

To MYB6 — Myrtle Beach Bus Station 25 mi, ~38m 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	1h 5m	2h 56m	2h 48m
Total cost (1 person)	$45	$122	$8
Carbon footprint	19 kg CO₂	10 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: 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 18, 2026.

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