Skip to main content

Drive or Fly: Hampton, VA to Bon Air, 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 PHF–RIC. At 84 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:
Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 43m

Distance

84.6 mi

Total Cost

$54

CO2

34 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$19
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

2h 45m

9m in the air

Air Distance

75 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

19 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Hampton, VA → PHF 16m
Check-in & Security 90m
Flight 9m
Arrival & Baggage 30m
RIC → Bon Air, VA 20m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Hampton, VA PHF — Newport News Williamsburg International Airport 11 mi, ~16m drive
Bon Air, VA RIC — Richmond International Airport 13 mi, ~20m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between PHF 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

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

2h 13m

1h 5m on rail

Total Cost

$12

CO2

3 kg

Route

Northeast Regional

Door-to-Door Timeline

Hampton, VA → Newport News 17m
Boarding 30m
Train ride 65m
Arrival 10m
Richmond Main Street Amtrak Station → Bon Air, VA 11m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $12) $12

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

Stations

From Newport News 11 mi, ~17m drive
To Richmond Main Street Amtrak Station 7 mi, ~11m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~20/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 43m 2h 45m 2h 13m
Total cost (1 person) $54 $123 $12
Carbon footprint 34 kg CO2 19 kg CO2 3 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
84.6 mi 1h 43m

via I 64

Alternative (+3 min)
88.7 mi 1h 46m

via I 64, VA 150, VA 895

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