Drive or Fly: Virginia Beach, VA to Atkins, 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 380 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

7h 13m

Distance

380.8 mi

Total Cost

$119

CO2

154 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$84

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

4h 26m

36m in the air

Air Distance

301 mi

Total Cost

$187

CO2

77 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Virginia Beach, VA → ORF 19m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 36m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

TRI → Atkins, VA 91m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $132) $132

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Virginia Beach, VA ORF — Norfolk International Airport 13 mi, ~19m drive

Atkins, VA TRI — Tri-Cities Regional TN/VA Airport 61 mi, ~91m drive

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Saves about 2h 47m 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	7h 13m	4h 26m
Total cost (1 person)	$119	$187
Carbon footprint	154 kg CO₂	77 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

380.8 mi 7h 12m

via I 64, I 81, I 295

Alternative (+29 min)

387.4 mi 7h 41m

via US 13; US 58; US 460, I 85, I 85; US 70

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