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Drive or Fly: Wheaton, MD to Lake Shore, 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 40 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:
Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

57m

Distance

40.8 mi

Total Cost

$44

CO2

16 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$9
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 40m

4m in the air

Air Distance

31 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

8 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Wheaton, MD → DCA 20m
Check-in & Security 90m
Flight 4m
Arrival & Baggage 30m
BWI → Lake Shore, MD 16m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

Wheaton, MD DCA — Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport 13 mi, ~20m drive
Lake Shore, MD BWI — Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport 11 mi, ~16m 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

At a Glance

Drive Fly
Door-to-door time 57m 2h 40m
Total cost (1 person) $44 $121
Carbon footprint 16 kg CO2 8 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
40.8 mi 57m

via MD 100, I 95, MD 200 Toll

Alternative (+11 min)
48.6 mi 1h 9m

via US 50, I 495, MD 2

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Wheaton, MD to Lake Shore, MD with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.