Charlotte to Atlanta distance
Charlotte and Atlanta are 227 miles (365 km) apart in a straight line and 244 miles (392 km) apart by road: about 4 hr 45 min of driving without stops, mostly on I-85. Below you’ll find the route map, both halfway points, the bearing and where every figure comes from.
By the All Map Tools Team
- By road
- 244 mi (392 km)
- Driving time
- 4 hr 45 min
- Straight line
- 227 mi (365 km)
- Driving route
- Straight line
- Straight-line midpoint
- Halfway by road
Lambert azimuthal equal-area projection centered on the midpoint. Route: FOSSGIS OSRM with data © OpenStreetMap contributors, calculated on November 1, 2026; simplified line.
The figures
| Figure | Value |
|---|---|
| Straight line | 227 mi (365 km) geodesic on the WGS84 ellipsoid |
| By road | 244 mi (392 km) fastest driving route (OSRM) |
| Driving time | 4 hr 45 min no stops, no traffic |
| Road detour | +8% 1.08 times the straight line |
| Average speed | 51 mph (83 km/h) along the route, without stops |
| Bearing | 244° (southwest) leaving Charlotte toward Atlanta |
| Midpoint | 34.5009° N, 82.6312° W near Starr (South Carolina) |
| Halfway by road | Near Sandy Springs (South Carolina) 122 mi from each city by road |
| Time difference | None both share the same time |
| Elevation | Charlotte: 763 ft (233 m) · Atlanta: 1,050 ft (320 m) USGS 3DEP |
| Population | Charlotte: 964,784 · Atlanta: 529,110 Census Bureau estimate for 2025 |
Charlotte to Atlanta by road
The fastest driving route is 244 miles (392 km) long and takes about 4 hr 45 min without stops or traffic. Almost all of it is on I-85: 239 mi of 244 mi.
It goes through 3 states: North Carolina (38.7 mi), South Carolina (107 mi), and Georgia (98.3 mi). That’s an average of 51 mph (83 km/h). AAA recommends a break every two hours or 100 miles: with 2 stops of 20 minutes, the trip takes about 5 hr 25 min. The time is OSRM’s estimate with OpenStreetMap data: no traffic and speeds somewhat below the limits, so real trips can differ.
Straight-line distance and bearing
In a straight line, the shortest distance over the Earth’s surface, Charlotte and Atlanta are 227 miles (365 km) apart. That’s the geodesic on the WGS84 ellipsoid, the distance “as the crow flies”.
The road is 8% longer: for every 100 miles in a straight line you drive 108. The route runs almost straight. Of the 110 US driving pairs in this series, it ranks 101st for detour (the average is 16%).
From Charlotte, Atlanta lies to the southwest (bearing 244°), and from Atlanta, Charlotte lies to the northeast. The straight line reaches Atlanta on a bearing of 242°: on a sphere the bearing keeps changing along the way, which is why the shortest route looks slightly curved on a flat map.
Halfway between Charlotte and Atlanta
Halfway along the straight line, 113 miles (182 km) from each city, is the point 34.5009° N, 82.6312° W. It falls near Starr (South Carolina, pop. 180), 9.3 mi away. The nearest town of 20,000 people or more is Mulberry (Georgia, pop. 41,445), 77.9 mi away.
By road, the halfway point is 122 miles (196 km) from each city, near Sandy Springs (South Carolina, pop. 1,105), 5.8 mi away. The nearest town of 20,000 people or more is Mulberry (Georgia, pop. 41,445), 79.8 mi away. The two midpoints are 7.0 mi apart: if you want to meet halfway, the one on the road is the useful one.
Time zone and flight
Charlotte and Atlanta share the same time all year: both are on Eastern Time.
No flight time is given: under 500 km (311 miles) in a straight line, time at the airport outweighs time in the air.
The two cities
Charlotte sits at 763 ft (233 m) and Atlanta at 1,050 ft (320 m), 287 ft (87 m) higher.
Charlotte has 964,784 people and Atlanta 529,110 people (Census Bureau estimate for 2025).
Frequently asked questions
How many miles is it from Charlotte to Atlanta?
227 miles (365 km) in a straight line and 244 miles (392 km) by road on the fastest route (mostly on I-85).
How long is the drive from Charlotte to Atlanta?
About 4 hr 45 min without stops or traffic, according to OSRM with OpenStreetMap data; with 2 stops of 20 minutes, about 5 hr 25 min.
Where is the halfway point between Charlotte and Atlanta?
In a straight line, near Starr (South Carolina). By road, 122 mi from each city, near Sandy Springs (South Carolina).
Are Charlotte and Atlanta in the same time zone?
Yes: both are on Eastern Time all year.
Which city is higher, Charlotte or Atlanta?
Atlanta, at 1,050 ft (320 m); Charlotte sits at 763 ft (233 m).
Measure it yourself on the map
The same two cities, already set up in the tools: move the points, get the route by bike or on foot and download the map.
- Distance between two points Measure the distance between any two places or points on the map, in miles or kilometers.
- Straight line vs driving distance Compare the as-the-crow-flies distance with the real driving distance and see how much the road adds.
- Halfway point Find the exact halfway point between two places and see it on the map, ready to share.
More distances from Charlotte
All distancesMore distances from Atlanta
- Atlanta to Birmingham 140 mi straight line · 146 mi by road · 2 hr 45 min
- Atlanta to Savannah 223 mi straight line · 248 mi by road · 4 hr 35 min
- Atlanta to Jacksonville 285 mi straight line · 345 mi by road · 6 hr 20 min
- Atlanta to Miami 604 mi straight line · 660 mi by road · 12 hr
- Atlanta to New Orleans 424 mi straight line · 469 mi by road · 8 hr 35 min
- New York to Atlanta 746 mi straight line · 880 mi by road · 16 hr 55 min
Sources
- Driving route: FOSSGIS OSRM, car profile (calculated on November 1, 2026) · FOSSGIS e.V.
- Roads, streets and places · © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL)
- Straight line, bearings and midpoint (geodesics on the WGS84 ellipsoid) · GeographicLib (C. F. F. Karney)
- US city centers (GNIS) and their elevation (3DEP) · USGS (public domain)
- Population estimates, Vintage 2025 · US Census Bureau (public domain)
- Places near the midpoints: All Map Tools gazetteer (GeoNames, INE, IGN and Census) · All Map Tools
- Time zones (timezone-boundary-builder outlines and the IANA database) · © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL)
- Map: provinces (IGN), states (US Census Bureau) and countries (Natural Earth) · IGN, Census and Natural Earth
- Methodology