Drive or Fly: Chesapeake, VA to Amherst, 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–LYH. At 191 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

4h 14m

Distance

191.9 mi

Total Cost

$77

CO2

78 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$42

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 58m

19m in the air

Air Distance

162 mi

Total Cost

$126

CO2

41 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Chesapeake, VA → ORF 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 19m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

LYH → Amherst, VA 29m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Airports

Chesapeake, VA ORF — Norfolk International Airport 7 mi, ~10m drive

Amherst, VA LYH — Lynchburg Regional Airport - Preston Glenn Field 20 mi, ~29m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ORF and LYH. 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	4h 14m	2h 58m
Total cost (1 person)	$77	$126
Carbon footprint	78 kg CO₂	41 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 19, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

191.9 mi 4h 13m

via US 60, VA 10, VA 288

Alternative (+1 min)

213.5 mi 4h 15m

via I 64, US 29, I 295

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