Drive or Fly: Prince Frederick, MD to Gaithersburg, MD?

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–IAD. At 65 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

1h 34m

Distance

65.2 mi

Total Cost

$49

CO2

26 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$14

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 24m

6m in the air

Air Distance

53 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

14 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Prince Frederick, MD → DCA 49m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 6m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

IAD → Gaithersburg, MD 29m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

Prince Frederick, MD DCA — Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport 33 mi, ~49m drive

Gaithersburg, MD IAD — Washington Dulles International Airport 19 mi, ~29m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between DCA and IAD. 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

3h 15m

1h 38m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

Floridian

Door-to-Door Timeline

Prince Frederick, MD → Alexandria 47m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 98m

Arrival 10m

Rockville Amtrak → Gaithersburg, MD 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $4) $4

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

Stations

From Alexandria 32 mi, ~47m drive

To Rockville Amtrak 5 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~2/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

− Limited schedule — about 2 trips per week

− 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 34m	3h 24m	3h 15m
Total cost (1 person)	$49	$122	$4
Carbon footprint	26 kg CO₂	14 kg CO₂	1 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 13, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Prince Frederick, MD to Gaithersburg, MD with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.