Drive or Fly: Fort Washington, MD to Aberdeen, 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–ILG. At 81 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 57m

Distance

81.8 mi

Total Cost

$53

CO2

33 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$18

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 12m

9m in the air

Air Distance

72 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

18 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Fort Washington, MD → DCA 15m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 9m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

ILG → Aberdeen, MD 48m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Fort Washington, MD DCA — Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport 10 mi, ~15m drive

Aberdeen, MD ILG — Wilmington Airport 32 mi, ~48m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between DCA and ILG. 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 12m

2h 11m on rail

Total Cost

$14

CO2

4 kg

Route

Northeast Regional

Door-to-Door Timeline

Fort Washington, MD → Alexandria 11m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 131m

Arrival 10m

Aberdeen Amtrak Station → Aberdeen, MD 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $14) $14

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

Stations

From Alexandria 7 mi, ~11m drive

To Aberdeen Amtrak Station 0 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~9/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 9 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 57m	3h 12m	3h 12m
Total cost (1 person)	$53	$123	$14
Carbon footprint	33 kg CO₂	18 kg CO₂	4 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 18, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

81.8 mi 1h 56m

via Baltimore-Washington Parkway, I 95, I 895

Alternative (+2 min)

86.4 mi 1h 59m

via I 95, I 895, I 97

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