Drive or Fly: Apple Mountain Lake, VA to Portsmouth Heights, 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 IAD–ORF. At 209 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

4h 18m

Distance

209.9 mi

Total Cost

$81

CO2

85 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$46

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 29m

21m in the air

Air Distance

173 mi

Total Cost

$182

CO2

44 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Apple Mountain Lake, VA → IAD 52m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 21m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

ORF → Portsmouth Heights, VA 16m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $127) $127

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Apple Mountain Lake, VA IAD — Washington Dulles International Airport 35 mi, ~52m drive

Portsmouth Heights, VA ORF — Norfolk International Airport 11 mi, ~16m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between IAD and ORF. 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

− 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	4h 18m	3h 29m
Total cost (1 person)	$81	$182
Carbon footprint	85 kg CO₂	44 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 15, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Apple Mountain Lake, VA to Portsmouth Heights, VA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.