Drive or Fly: Virginia Beach, VA to Bowling Green, 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–RIC. At 141 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 52m

Distance

141 mi

Total Cost

$66

CO2

57 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$31

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 28m

13m in the air

Air Distance

112 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

28 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Virginia Beach, VA → ORF 19m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 13m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

RIC → Bowling Green, VA 56m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

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

Bowling Green, VA RIC — Richmond International Airport 38 mi, ~56m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ORF 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	2h 52m	3h 28m
Total cost (1 person)	$66	$124
Carbon footprint	57 kg CO₂	28 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

141 mi 2h 51m

via I 64, I 95, I 295

Shortest (+10 min)

135.9 mi 3h 2m

via I 64, VA 30, US 301; VA 2

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