Drive or Fly: Fort Washington, MD to Chesapeake Beach, 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–DCA. At 37 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 1m

Distance

37.9 mi

Total Cost

$43

CO2

15 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$8

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 2m

3m in the air

Air Distance

26 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

7 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Fort Washington, MD → DCA 15m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 3m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DCA → Chesapeake Beach, MD 44m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

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

Chesapeake Beach, MD DCA — Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport 29 mi, ~44m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between DCA 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

2h 46m

1h 17m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

Northeast Regional

Door-to-Door Timeline

Fort Washington, MD → Alexandria 11m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 77m

Arrival 10m

New Carrollton Amtrak Station → Chesapeake Beach, MD 38m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $3) $3

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

Stations

From Alexandria 7 mi, ~11m drive

To New Carrollton Amtrak Station 26 mi, ~38m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~28/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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	1h 1m	3h 2m	2h 46m
Total cost (1 person)	$43	$121	$3
Carbon footprint	15 kg CO₂	7 kg CO₂	1 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

37.9 mi 1h 1m

via MD 4, MD 260, Allentown Road

Shortest (+1 min)

37.1 mi 1h 2m

via MD 223, MD 260, MD 4

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