Drive or Fly: Silver Spring, MD to New Mexico, 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 57 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

1h 24m

Distance

57.2 mi

Total Cost

$48

CO2

23 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$13

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 9m

5m in the air

Air Distance

43 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

11 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Silver Spring, MD → DCA 14m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 5m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BWI → New Mexico, MD 50m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

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

New Mexico, MD BWI — Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport 33 mi, ~50m 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

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

2h 18m

48m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

Commuter Rail

Door-to-Door Timeline

Silver Spring, MD → Washington Union Station 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 48m

Arrival 10m

West Baltimore → New Mexico, MD 40m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $7) $7

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

Stations

From Washington Union Station 7 mi, ~10m drive

To West Baltimore 27 mi, ~40m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~38/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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

2h 7m

50m on road

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

Greyhound US0430

Door-to-Door Timeline

Silver Spring, MD → Silver Spring Bus Station (SSP6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 50m

Arrival 10m

Frederick Bus Station (FRD6) → New Mexico, MD 42m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $4) $4

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

Stations

From SSP6 — Silver Spring Bus Station 0 mi, ~10m drive

To FRD6 — Frederick Bus Station 28 mi, ~42m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~7/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

− Limited schedule — about 7 trips per week

− Travel time longer than driving

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train	Bus
Door-to-door time	1h 24m	3h 9m	2h 18m	2h 7m
Total cost (1 person)	$48	$122	$7	$4
Carbon footprint	23 kg CO₂	11 kg CO₂	2 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: Amtrak GTFS, 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 13, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Silver Spring, MD to New Mexico, MD with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.