Drive or Fly: Gloucester Courthouse, 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 52 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 19m

Distance

52.4 mi

Total Cost

$47

CO2

21 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$12

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 50m

5m in the air

Air Distance

42 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

11 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Gloucester Courthouse, VA → PHF 29m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 5m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

ORF → Portsmouth Heights, VA 16m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

Gloucester Courthouse, VA PHF — Newport News Williamsburg International Airport 19 mi, ~29m 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 58m

1h on road

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

FlixBus N2601

Door-to-Door Timeline

Gloucester Courthouse, VA → Williamsburg Bus Stop (WBG6) 20m

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 14 mi, ~20m 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	1h 19m	2h 50m	1h 58m
Total cost (1 person)	$47	$122	$4
Carbon footprint	21 kg CO₂	11 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 19, 2026.

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