Drive or Fly: Boiling Spring Lakes, NC to Raleigh, 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–RDU. At 150 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 51m

Distance

150.7 mi

Total Cost

$68

CO2

61 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$33

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

15m in the air

Air Distance

125 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

32 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Boiling Spring Lakes, NC → ILM 29m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 15m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

RDU → Raleigh, NC 17m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

Boiling Spring Lakes, NC ILM — Wilmington International Airport 19 mi, ~29m drive

Raleigh, NC RDU — Raleigh-Durham International Airport 11 mi, ~17m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ILM and RDU. 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 33m

3h 8m on road

Total Cost

$13

CO2

9 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Boiling Spring Lakes, NC → Wilmington Cape Fear Public Transit (WNC6) 30m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 188m

Arrival 10m

Raleigh Bus Station (RAL6) → Raleigh, NC 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $13) $13

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

Stations

From WNC6 — Wilmington Cape Fear Public Transit 0 mi, ~30m drive

To RAL6 — Raleigh Bus Station 0 mi, ~30m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~14/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

− Travel time longer than driving

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Bus
Door-to-door time	2h 51m	3h 1m	4h 33m
Total cost (1 person)	$68	$125	$13
Carbon footprint	61 kg CO₂	32 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 21, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Boiling Spring Lakes, NC to Raleigh, NC with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.