Drive or Fly: McLean, VA to Fort Hunt, 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 DCA–DCA. At 24 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

39m

Distance

24.8 mi

Total Cost

$41

CO2

10 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$6

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 28m

2m in the air

Air Distance

15 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

4 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

McLean, VA → DCA 14m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 2m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DCA → Fort Hunt, VA 12m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

McLean, VA DCA — Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport 9 mi, ~14m drive

Fort Hunt, VA DCA — Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport 8 mi, ~12m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between DCA 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

1h 20m

16m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

0 kg

Route

Northeast Regional

Door-to-Door Timeline

McLean, VA → Washington Union Station 14m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 16m

Arrival 10m

Alexandria → Fort Hunt, VA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $1) $1

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

Stations

From Washington Union Station 10 mi, ~14m drive

To Alexandria 5 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~83/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	39m	2h 28m	1h 20m
Total cost (1 person)	$41	$121	$1
Carbon footprint	10 kg CO₂	4 kg CO₂	0 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 12, 2026.

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