Drive or Fly: Gaithersburg, MD to Long 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 IAD–DCA. At 75 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 52m

Distance

75.1 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 37m

7m in the air

Air Distance

61 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

16 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Gaithersburg, MD → IAD 29m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 7m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DCA → Long Beach, MD 61m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

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

Long Beach, MD DCA — Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport 41 mi, ~61m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between IAD 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 34m

1h 44m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

Floridian

Door-to-Door Timeline

Gaithersburg, MD → Rockville Amtrak 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 104m

Arrival 10m

Alexandria → Long Beach, MD 60m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $4) $4

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

Stations

From Rockville Amtrak 5 mi, ~10m drive

To Alexandria 40 mi, ~60m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~2/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 2 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 52m	3h 37m	3h 34m
Total cost (1 person)	$52	$122	$4
Carbon footprint	30 kg CO₂	16 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 16, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

75.1 mi 1h 52m

via I 495, MD 4, MD 2; MD 4

Shortest (+8 min)

74.6 mi 2h 0m

via MD 4, MD 2; MD 4, Pennsylvania Avenue Southeast

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