Drive or Fly: Franklin, VA to Newport News, 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–PHF. At 46 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 15m

Distance

46.6 mi

Total Cost

$45

CO2

19 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$10

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 14m

5m in the air

Air Distance

38 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

10 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Franklin, VA → PHF 59m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 5m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

PHF → Newport News, VA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

Franklin, VA PHF — Newport News Williamsburg International Airport 39 mi, ~59m drive

Newport News, VA PHF — Newport News Williamsburg International Airport 4 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between PHF and PHF. 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

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

2h 38m

58m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

3 kg

Route

Amtrak Thruway Connecting Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

Franklin, VA → Norfolk 30m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 58m

Arrival 10m

Newport News → Newport News, VA 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $5) $5

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

Stations

From Norfolk 0 mi, ~30m drive

To Newport News 0 mi, ~30m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~5/week

+ Spacious seating with legroom and power outlets

+ Walk around freely during the trip

+ No driving fatigue — relax or work en route

+ Much lower carbon footprint than driving or flying

− Limited schedule — about 5 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	1h 15m	3h 14m	2h 38m
Total cost (1 person)	$45	$122	$5
Carbon footprint	19 kg CO₂	10 kg CO₂	3 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: Amtrak 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 21, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

46.6 mi 1h 14m

via US 258, SR 603, US 17; VA 143

Alternative (+2 min)

51.3 mi 1h 17m

via US 58 BUS, VA 10; VA 32, US 58 BUS; US 258 BUS

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