Drive or Fly: Gaithersburg, MD to Londontowne, 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 IAD–BWI. At 48 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 9m

Distance

48 mi

Total Cost

$46

CO2

19 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$11

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

5m in the air

Air Distance

38 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

10 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Gaithersburg, MD → IAD 29m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 5m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BWI → Londontowne, MD 27m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

Gaithersburg, MD IAD — Washington Dulles International Airport 19 mi, ~29m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between IAD 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly
Door-to-door time	1h 9m	3h 1m
Total cost (1 person)	$46	$122
Carbon footprint	19 kg CO₂	10 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

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 16, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

48 mi 1h 8m

via I 495, US 50, I 270

Alternative (+6 min)

49.5 mi 1h 14m

via MD 200 Toll, MD 32, I 97

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