Drive or Fly: Portsmouth, 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 ORF–DCA. At 188 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

3h 46m

Distance

188.3 mi

Total Cost

$77

CO2

76 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$42

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 39m

17m in the air

Air Distance

138 mi

Total Cost

$126

CO2

35 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Portsmouth, VA → ORF 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 17m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DCA → Fort Hunt, VA 12m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Airports

Portsmouth, VA ORF — Norfolk International Airport 7 mi, ~10m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ORF 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

5h 7m

4h 7m on rail

Total Cost

$28

CO2

8 kg

Route

Northeast Regional

Door-to-Door Timeline

Portsmouth, VA → Norfolk 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 247m

Arrival 10m

Alexandria → Fort Hunt, VA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $28) $28

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

Stations

From Norfolk 1 mi, ~10m drive

To Alexandria 5 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~18/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	3h 46m	2h 39m	5h 7m
Total cost (1 person)	$77	$126	$28
Carbon footprint	76 kg CO₂	35 kg CO₂	8 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 Portsmouth, VA to Fort Hunt, VA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.