Drive or Fly: College Park, MD to Owings Mills, 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 DCA–BWI. At 41 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

58m

Distance

41.3 mi

Total Cost

$44

CO2

17 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$9

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 47m

4m in the air

Air Distance

31 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

8 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

College Park, MD → DCA 16m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 4m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BWI → Owings Mills, MD 27m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

College Park, MD DCA — Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport 10 mi, ~16m drive

Owings Mills, MD BWI — Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport 18 mi, ~27m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between DCA and BWI. 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

1h 44m

37m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

Commuter Rail

Door-to-Door Timeline

College Park, MD → New Carrollton Amtrak Station 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 37m

Arrival 10m

West Baltimore → Owings Mills, MD 17m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $5) $5

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

Stations

From New Carrollton Amtrak Station 4 mi, ~10m drive

To West Baltimore 11 mi, ~17m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~35/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

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

1h 50m

55m on road

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

Greyhound US0325S

Door-to-Door Timeline

College Park, MD → College Park U of MD Metrorail (CLP6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 55m

Arrival 10m

Baltimore Downtown Bus Station (BAL6) → Owings Mills, MD 20m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $3) $3

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

Stations

From CLP6 — College Park U of MD Metrorail 0 mi, ~10m drive

To BAL6 — Baltimore Downtown Bus Station 13 mi, ~20m 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	58m	2h 47m	1h 44m	1h 50m
Total cost (1 person)	$44	$121	$5	$3
Carbon footprint	17 kg CO₂	8 kg CO₂	2 kg CO₂	2 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 18, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

41.3 mi 57m

via I 95, I 695

Shortest (+1 min)

38.9 mi 59m

via US 29, Cherry Hill Road, I 695

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from College Park, MD to Owings Mills, MD with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.