Drive or Fly: Roanoke, VA to Montrose, 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 ROA–RIC. At 193 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 40m

Distance

193.3 mi

Total Cost

$78

CO2

78 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$43

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 37m

17m in the air

Air Distance

142 mi

Total Cost

$126

CO2

36 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Roanoke, VA → ROA 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 17m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

RIC → Montrose, VA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Airports

Roanoke, VA ROA — Roanoke–Blacksburg Regional Airport 4 mi, ~10m drive

Montrose, VA RIC — Richmond International Airport 3 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ROA and RIC. 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	3h 40m	2h 37m
Total cost (1 person)	$78	$126
Carbon footprint	78 kg CO₂	36 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

193.3 mi 3h 39m

via I 64, I 81, US 220

Shortest (+6 min)

167.8 mi 3h 46m

via US 60, US 460, US 221; US 460

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