Drive or Fly: Bowie, MD to Glassmanor, MD?

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 BWI–DCA. At 22 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

34m

Distance

22 mi

Total Cost

$40

CO2

9 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$5

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

2h 37m

2m in the air

Air Distance

17 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

4 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Bowie, MD → BWI 25m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 2m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DCA → Glassmanor, MD 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

Bowie, MD BWI — Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport 16 mi, ~25m drive

Glassmanor, MD DCA — Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport 3 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between BWI and DCA. 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

1h 16m

30m on road

Total Cost

CO2

0 kg

Route

Greyhound US0310D

Door-to-Door Timeline

Bowie, MD → Hyattsville New Carrollton Bus Stop (NCC6) 11m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 30m

Arrival 10m

Washington Union Station (DCD6) → Glassmanor, MD 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $1) $1

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

Stations

From NCC6 — Hyattsville New Carrollton Bus Stop 8 mi, ~11m drive

To DCD6 — Washington Union Station 5 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~28/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	34m	2h 37m	1h 16m
Total cost (1 person)	$40	$121	$1
Carbon footprint	9 kg CO₂	4 kg CO₂	0 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 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

22 mi 33m

via US 50, DC 295

Shortest (+4 min)

20.2 mi 38m

via MD 704, US 50

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Bowie, MD to Glassmanor, MD with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.