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Drive or Fly: Wilson, NC to Burlington, 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 AVL–GSO. At 184 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:
Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 36m

Distance

184.3 mi

Total Cost

$76

CO2

74 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$41
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 22m

21m in the air

Air Distance

171 mi

Total Cost

$127

CO2

44 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Wilson, NC → AVL 19m
Check-in & Security 90m
Flight 21m
Arrival & Baggage 30m
GSO → Burlington, NC 42m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $127) $127

Airports

Wilson, NC AVL — Asheville Regional Airport 13 mi, ~19m drive
Burlington, NC GSO — Piedmont Triad International Airport 28 mi, ~42m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between AVL and GSO. 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

4h 26m

3h 20m on road

Total Cost

$17

CO2

9 kg

Route

Greyhound US0654s

Door-to-Door Timeline

Wilson, NC → Asheville, NC (ASN6) 11m
Boarding 15m
Bus ride 200m
Arrival 10m
Greensboro Bus Stop (GBO6) → Burlington, NC 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $17) $17

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

Stations

From ASN6 — Asheville, NC 7 mi, ~11m drive
To GBO6 — Greensboro Bus Stop 20 mi, ~30m 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 3h 36m 3h 22m 4h 26m
Total cost (1 person) $76 $127 $17
Carbon footprint 74 kg CO2 44 kg CO2 9 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 Wilson, NC to Burlington, NC with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.