Drive or Fly: Charlottesville, VA to Chantilly, 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 CHO–IAD. At 96 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

2h 17m

Distance

96.6 mi

Total Cost

$56

CO2

39 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$21

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 32m

10m in the air

Air Distance

82 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

21 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Charlottesville, VA → CHO 12m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 10m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

IAD → Chantilly, VA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Charlottesville, VA CHO — Charlottesville Albemarle Airport 8 mi, ~12m drive

Chantilly, VA IAD — Washington Dulles International Airport 4 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between CHO and IAD. 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

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

3h 22m

1h 42m on rail

Total Cost

$17

CO2

6 kg

Route

Northeast Regional

Door-to-Door Timeline

Charlottesville, VA → Charlottesville 30m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 102m

Arrival 10m

Burke Centre Amtrak → Chantilly, VA 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $17) $17

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

Stations

From Charlottesville 0 mi, ~30m drive

To Burke Centre Amtrak 0 mi, ~30m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~12/week

+ Spacious seating with legroom and power outlets

+ Walk around freely during the trip

+ No driving fatigue — relax or work en route

+ Much lower carbon footprint than driving or flying

− Limited schedule — about 12 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

2h 35m on road

Total Cost

$10

CO2

6 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Charlottesville, VA → Charlottesville Union Station (CHV6) 30m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 155m

Arrival 10m

Springfield Bus Stop (SPV6) → Chantilly, VA 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $10) $10

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

Stations

From CHV6 — Charlottesville Union Station 0 mi, ~30m drive

To SPV6 — Springfield Bus Stop 0 mi, ~30m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~7/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

− Limited schedule — about 7 trips per week

− Travel time longer than driving

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train	Bus
Door-to-door time	2h 17m	2h 32m	3h 22m	4h
Total cost (1 person)	$56	$123	$17	$10
Carbon footprint	39 kg CO₂	21 kg CO₂	6 kg CO₂	6 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: Amtrak GTFS, 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 13, 2026.

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