Drive or Fly: Williamsburg, VA to Portsmouth Heights, 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 PHF–ORF. At 48 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

57m

Distance

48.2 mi

Total Cost

$46

CO2

19 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$11

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 43m

4m in the air

Air Distance

36 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

9 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Williamsburg, VA → PHF 23m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 4m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

ORF → Portsmouth Heights, VA 16m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

Williamsburg, VA PHF — Newport News Williamsburg International Airport 15 mi, ~23m drive

Portsmouth Heights, VA ORF — Norfolk International Airport 11 mi, ~16m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between PHF and ORF. 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

1h 48m

1h on road

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

FlixBus N2601

Door-to-Door Timeline

Williamsburg, VA → Williamsburg Bus Stop (WBG6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 60m

Arrival 10m

Norfolk (NOR6) → Portsmouth Heights, VA 13m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $4) $4

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

Stations

From WBG6 — Williamsburg Bus Stop 0 mi, ~10m drive

To NOR6 — Norfolk 9 mi, ~13m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~14/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

− Travel time longer than driving

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Bus
Door-to-door time	57m	2h 43m	1h 48m
Total cost (1 person)	$46	$121	$4
Carbon footprint	19 kg CO₂	9 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: 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 15, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Williamsburg, VA to Portsmouth Heights, VA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.