Drive or Fly: Suffolk, VA to Big Stone Gap, 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 ORF–TRI. At 416 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

8h 50m

Distance

416.2 mi

Total Cost

$127

CO2

168 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$92

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

− Driver fatigue on longer stretches

− Wear and tear on vehicle

− Fuel price fluctuations

Plan the drive

Fly

Door to Door

4h 8m

41m in the air

Air Distance

341 mi

Total Cost

$189

CO2

87 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Suffolk, VA → ORF 36m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 41m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

TRI → Big Stone Gap, VA 51m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $134) $134

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Suffolk, VA ORF — Norfolk International Airport 24 mi, ~36m drive

Big Stone Gap, VA TRI — Tri-Cities Regional TN/VA Airport 34 mi, ~51m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ORF and TRI. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 4h 42m compared to driving

+ Less physical fatigue

+ Predictable arrival time

− Airport security and check-in overhead

− No scheduled commercial flights found for this route

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly
Door-to-door time	8h 50m	4h 8m
Total cost (1 person)	$127	$189
Carbon footprint	168 kg CO₂	87 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 12, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Suffolk, VA to Big Stone Gap, VA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.