Drive or Fly: Denton, MD to Silver Spring, 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 DOV–DCA. At 74 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 44m

Distance

74.9 mi

Total Cost

$52

CO2

30 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$17

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 1m

8m in the air

Air Distance

65 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

17 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Denton, MD → DOV 39m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 8m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DCA → Silver Spring, MD 14m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Denton, MD DOV — Dover Civil Air Terminal/Dover Air Force Base 26 mi, ~39m drive

Silver Spring, MD DCA — Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport 10 mi, ~14m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between DOV 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

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

3h 15m

1h 19m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

3 kg

Route

Commuter Rail

Door-to-Door Timeline

Denton, MD → Martin Airport 66m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 79m

Arrival 10m

Washington Union Station → Silver Spring, MD 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $9) $9

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

Stations

From Martin Airport 44 mi, ~66m drive

To Washington Union Station 7 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~13/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 13 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	1h 44m	3h 1m	3h 15m
Total cost (1 person)	$52	$123	$9
Carbon footprint	30 kg CO₂	17 kg CO₂	3 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 — 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 15, 2026.

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