Drive or Fly: Rockville, MD to Riviera Beach, 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–BWI. At 47 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 7m

Distance

47 mi

Total Cost

$45

CO2

19 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$10

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 43m

4m in the air

Air Distance

35 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

9 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Rockville, MD → DCA 26m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 4m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BWI → Riviera Beach, MD 13m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

Rockville, MD DCA — Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport 17 mi, ~26m drive

Riviera Beach, MD BWI — Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport 9 mi, ~13m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between DCA and BWI. 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

1h 40m

50m on road

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

FlixBus 2601

Door-to-Door Timeline

Rockville, MD → Bethesda (6BE) 11m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 50m

Arrival 10m

Baltimore Downtown Bus Station (BAL6) → Riviera Beach, MD 14m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $3) $3

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

Stations

From 6BE — Bethesda 8 mi, ~11m drive

To BAL6 — Baltimore Downtown Bus Station 10 mi, ~14m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~17/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

− Travel time longer than driving

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Bus
Door-to-door time	1h 7m	2h 43m	1h 40m
Total cost (1 person)	$45	$121	$3
Carbon footprint	19 kg CO₂	9 kg CO₂	2 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: 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 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

47 mi 1h 6m

via MD 100, MD 200 Toll, I 95

Alternative (+4 min)

51.1 mi 1h 11m

via I 95, MD 100, I 495

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