How far is Burlington, NC from Cornelius, NC?

The driving distance from Burlington, NC to Cornelius, NC is about 104.7 miles (168.5 km), with a travel time of about 02h 05m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 90.2 miles (145.1 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 04h 10m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM EDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This route works well as a day trip with time at the destination. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
104.72 mi
02h 05m
Flight
90.13 mi
145.05 km direct

This route works well as a day trip with time at the destination.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Burlington.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
90.13 mi
Kilometers
145.05 km
Flight Time
00h 10m

Driving Distance

Road route
104.72 mi
Kilometers
168.53 km
Drive Time
02h 05m

Gas Cost Calculator

Leave and Arrive Planner

Pick a departure time to see your estimated arrival and same-day return window.

Drive time stays fixed at 02h 05m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Cornelius
Thu, Apr 23, 7:58 AM EDT
Return by in Burlington
Thu, Apr 23, 10:03 AM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Burlington
2026-04-23T05:53
Arrive Cornelius
Thu, Apr 23, 7:58 AM EDT
Route Timing
02h 05m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
8:00 AM to 10:00 AM EDT
Aim for a morning departure
Arrive between
10:05 AM to 12:05 PM EDT

A morning start gives you useful time at the destination and keeps the return out of the late evening.

Leave by
2:20 PM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 03h 00m at the destination.
Back in Burlington
9:30 PM EDT
Morning start is best

You are leaving earlier than the recommended window, which gives you extra margin for breaks and traffic.

Halfway Point

A useful midpoint for breaks, coffee, or meeting in the middle.

Mid-route stop
Lexington
NC

City in and county seat of Davidson County, North Carolina, United States

From Burlington
52.3 mi
01h 02m
To Cornelius
52.4 mi
01h 02m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
85°F
Thursday

Sunny

Starts
Thu, Apr 23 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
2 to 6 mph NW
Destination
85°F
Thursday

Sunny

Starts
Thu, Apr 23 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
5 mph W

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Burlington and Cornelius.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Burlington and Cornelius.

  1. 1

    Start on South Church Street

    59 m · 7 sec · South Church Street

  2. 2

    Turn left onto West Webb Avenue

    809 ft · 25 sec · West Webb Avenue

  3. 3

    Turn left onto South Fisher Street

    2275 ft · 48 sec · South Fisher Street

  4. 4

    Turn straight onto South Church Street

    1.3 mi · 3 min · South Church Street

  5. 5

    Turn left onto Alamance Road

    1.2 mi · 2 min · Alamance Road

  6. 6

    Take the ramp right toward I 40 West, I 85 South: Greensboro

    1180 ft · 29 sec

  7. 7

    Merge slight left onto Sam Hunt Freeway

    11.4 mi · 13 min · Sam Hunt Freeway

  8. 8

    Keep slight right

    7.7 mi · 9 min

  9. 9

    Keep slight left to continue on I 85 Business South, US 29 South, US 70 West: Charlotte

    5.4 mi · 6 min

  10. 10

    Keep slight left

    63.1 mi · 1 hr 8 min

  11. 11

    Take the exit slight right toward NC 73: Davidson Highway, Huntersville

    1547 ft · 40 sec

  12. 12

    Continue on Davidson Highway

    6 mi · 9 min · Davidson Highway

  13. 13

    Continue on Sam Furr Road

    2.8 mi · 4 min · Sam Furr Road

  14. 14

    Turn right onto Mayes Road

    2.1 mi · 4 min · Mayes Road

  15. 15

    At the end of the road, turn right onto Old Statesville Road

    1.6 mi · 3 min · Old Statesville Road

  16. 16

    Continue on South Main Street

    1.6 km · 2 min · South Main Street

  17. 17

    Turn left onto Legion Street

    131 m · 19 sec · Legion Street

  18. 18

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Legion Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Burlington and Cornelius.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Highway-focused drive

Most of the mileage stays on named highways, so the important moments are ramps, exits, merges, and the final local approach.

Directions
18 steps
7 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
3
1 merges, 2 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
17.2 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
I 85 Business South
68.5 mi · 65%
Sam Hunt Freeway
19 mi · 18%
Davidson Highway
6 mi · 6%
Sam Furr Road
2.81 mi · 3%
Mayes Road
2.12 mi · 2%
Old Statesville Road
1.55 mi · 1%
Longest Stretch

I 85 Business South

Keep slight left

63.1 mi · 01h 08m

Route Summary

A quick read on whether this route feels easy, ambitious, or worth planning around.

Trip Read

A comfortable day-trip route

This route works well as a day trip. You can leave in the morning, spend meaningful time at the destination, and still return the same day.

Drive Time
02h 05m
Day trip friendly
Same-Day Return
04h 10m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+14.5 mi
90.2 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Lexington
01h 02m from Burlington
Leave By
2:20 PM EDT
Morning start is best
Weather Watch

Sunny leaving Burlington and Sunny near Cornelius.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Burlington to Cornelius?

The road trip is about 104.7 miles (168.5 km) and usually takes 02h 05m in normal driving conditions.

Is this a same-day trip or an overnight route?

This route works well as a day trip. You can leave in the morning, spend meaningful time at the destination, and still return the same day.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Lexington is a useful midpoint, sitting about 52.3 miles from Burlington and 52.4 miles from Cornelius.

How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?

The direct path is about 90.2 miles (145.1 km), while the road route adds roughly 14.5 extra miles because roads do not follow the straight air line.

When is the best time to leave for this route?

A good departure window is usually 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM EDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 2:20 PM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $14.66 one way or $29.31 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 32.9 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Sunny around Burlington and Sunny near Cornelius.

Stop Ideas Near Lexington

Useful break, food, and waypoint ideas within about 15 miles of the route midpoint.

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Lexington, so nearby transit and meeting points are shown instead.
Reviewed stop coverage is still thin around this midpoint, so practical transit waypoints are shown on the right.

Transit and Meeting Points

Useful pickup, handoff, or rendezvous points close to Lexington.

RAIL

Lexington

Center St. and railroad tracks
RAIL

Salisbury

25 mi away
Depot and Liberty Sts.
RAIL

High Point

27 mi away
100 West High St
BUS

Winston-Salem State Univ, Winston-Salem, North Car

30 mi away
601 South Martin Luther King, Jr. Dr

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Burlington and Cornelius. Straight-line distance: 90.13 mi (145.05 km).

Burlington

#1 Burlington

The most populous city in Alamance County, North Carolina.

Population55,599
Coordinates36.0956900, -79.4378000
Altitude198
CountryUnited States
Cornelius

#2 Cornelius

City in North Carolina, United States

Population30,804
Coordinates35.4868000, -80.8600700
Altitude245
CountryUnited States
Start: Burlington (-79.4378, 36.09569)
End: Cornelius (-80.86007, 35.4868)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 169 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)03h 29m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)02h 37m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)02h 05m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)01h 44m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)01h 29m
80 mph (129 km/h)01h 18m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
3.7 gal
13.99 L · about $14.66
Round trip
$29.31
7.4 gal · 27.98 L
Estimated CO2
32.9 kg one way
Round trip: 65.8 kg / 145 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.96 $14.66 $29.31
Mid-grade $4.43 $16.39 $32.77
Premium $4.78 $17.68 $35.36
Diesel $5.62 $20.81 $41.62

Assumes 8.3 L/100 km (about 28.3 MPG). CO2 is an estimate and varies by vehicle, fuel blend, traffic, and terrain.

Prices in North Carolina · Apr 23, 2026

There is no time difference between Burlington and Cornelius. The current time is 05:53:27.

Distance to Other Cities

Planning a road trip? See the full trip guide on Trip.ovh — stops, fuel costs, weather, and departure timing.

How did we calculate? Place names are translated into coordinates. The Haversine formula calculates straight-line distance; driving distance uses road network data.