Drive or Fly: Riverside, MD to Bethesda, 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 BWI–DCA. At 20 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

35m

Distance

20.5 mi

Total Cost

$40

CO2

8 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$5

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 33m

2m in the air

Air Distance

18 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

4 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Riverside, MD → BWI 17m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 2m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DCA → Bethesda, MD 14m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

Riverside, MD BWI — Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport 12 mi, ~17m drive

Bethesda, MD DCA — Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport 10 mi, ~14m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between BWI 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly
Door-to-door time	35m	2h 33m
Total cost (1 person)	$40	$121
Carbon footprint	8 kg CO₂	4 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

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 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

20.5 mi 34m

via US 29

Alternative (+6 min)

22.7 mi 41m

via US 29, Randolph Road, MD 185

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