Drive or Fly: Hampton, VA to Potomac Mills, 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–DCA. At 154 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 58m

Distance

154.4 mi

Total Cost

$69

CO2

62 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$34

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

15m in the air

Air Distance

123 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

31 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Hampton, VA → PHF 16m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 15m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DCA → Potomac Mills, VA 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

Hampton, VA PHF — Newport News Williamsburg International Airport 11 mi, ~16m drive

Potomac Mills, VA DCA — Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport 20 mi, ~30m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between PHF 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

4h 20m

3h 13m on rail

Total Cost

$23

CO2

7 kg

Route

Northeast Regional

Door-to-Door Timeline

Hampton, VA → Newport News 17m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 193m

Arrival 10m

Woodbridge Amtrak → Potomac Mills, VA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $23) $23

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

Stations

From Newport News 11 mi, ~17m drive

To Woodbridge Amtrak 3 mi, ~10m 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	2h 58m	3h 1m	4h 20m
Total cost (1 person)	$69	$125	$23
Carbon footprint	62 kg CO₂	31 kg CO₂	7 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.

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