Drive or Fly: Newport News, VA to Baileys Crossroads, 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 165 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

3h 12m

Distance

165.2 mi

Total Cost

$72

CO2

67 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$37

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 35m

15m in the air

Air Distance

127 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

32 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Newport News, VA → PHF 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 15m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DCA → Baileys Crossroads, VA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

Newport News, VA PHF — Newport News Williamsburg International Airport 4 mi, ~10m drive

Baileys Crossroads, VA DCA — Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport 5 mi, ~10m 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 39m

3h 39m on rail

Total Cost

$24

CO2

7 kg

Route

Northeast Regional

Door-to-Door Timeline

Newport News, VA → Newport News 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 219m

Arrival 10m

Alexandria → Baileys Crossroads, VA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $24) $24

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

Stations

From Newport News 4 mi, ~10m drive

To Alexandria 5 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

4h 17m

3h 14m on road

Total Cost

$12

CO2

7 kg

Route

FlixBus N2601

Door-to-Door Timeline

Newport News, VA → Williamsburg Bus Stop (WBG6) 28m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 194m

Arrival 10m

Arlington (Rosslyn) (6RL) → Baileys Crossroads, VA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $12) $12

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

Stations

From WBG6 — Williamsburg Bus Stop 19 mi, ~28m drive

To 6RL — Arlington (Rosslyn) 4 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~7/week

+ Usually the cheapest option

+ Wi-Fi and power outlets on board

+ No driving fatigue — relax or work en route

+ Much lower carbon footprint than driving or flying

− Limited schedule — about 7 trips per week

− Travel time longer than driving

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train	Bus
Door-to-door time	3h 12m	2h 35m	4h 39m	4h 17m
Total cost (1 person)	$72	$125	$24	$12
Carbon footprint	67 kg CO₂	32 kg CO₂	7 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, FlixBus 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 Newport News, VA to Baileys Crossroads, VA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.