Drive or Fly: Alexandria, VA to Clintwood, VA?

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 DCA–TRI. At 424 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

8h 18m

Distance

424.3 mi

Total Cost

$129

CO2

171 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$94

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

− Driver fatigue on longer stretches

− Wear and tear on vehicle

− Fuel price fluctuations

Plan the drive

Fly

Door to Door

3h 58m

38m in the air

Air Distance

316 mi

Total Cost

$188

CO2

81 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Alexandria, VA → DCA 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 38m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

TRI → Clintwood, VA 70m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $133) $133

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Alexandria, VA DCA — Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport 3 mi, ~10m drive

Clintwood, VA TRI — Tri-Cities Regional TN/VA Airport 47 mi, ~70m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between DCA and TRI. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 4h 20m compared to driving

+ Less physical fatigue

+ Predictable arrival time

− Airport security and check-in overhead

− No scheduled commercial flights found for this route

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly
Door-to-door time	8h 18m	3h 58m
Total cost (1 person)	$129	$188
Carbon footprint	171 kg CO₂	81 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

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 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

424.3 mi 8h 17m

via I 81, I 66, I 81; US 52

Alternative (+29 min)

426.9 mi 8h 47m

via I 81, I 64, I 66

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Alexandria, VA to Clintwood, VA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.