Drive or Fly: Gretna, VA to Richmond, VA?

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 LYH–RIC. At 140 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 13m

Distance

140.8 mi

Total Cost

$66

CO2

57 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$31

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 7m

13m in the air

Air Distance

112 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

29 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Gretna, VA → LYH 41m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 13m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

RIC → Richmond, VA 13m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

Gretna, VA LYH — Lynchburg Regional Airport - Preston Glenn Field 27 mi, ~41m drive

Richmond, VA RIC — Richmond International Airport 8 mi, ~13m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between LYH and RIC. 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	3h 13m	3h 7m
Total cost (1 person)	$66	$124
Carbon footprint	57 kg CO₂	29 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 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

140.8 mi 3h 12m

via US 60, US 29 BUS, VA 24

Shortest (+7 min)

134.5 mi 3h 20m

via VA 40, US 360, US 15; US 360

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Gretna, VA to Richmond, VA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.