Checked 4×
Is it cheaper to fly or drive a Tesla from Philadelphia, PA to Richmond, VA?
Take the TeslaYou keep
$213
In the car
4h 34m
Car is calmer by
75%
Car 15 · Flight 59
255 mi by road
4h 16m by air, only 60m of it flying. 1 in 5 run late.
How this was priced
Philadelphia, PA to Richmond, VA is 255 mi by road — 4h 34m of driving and 1 Supercharger stop — against 4h 16m door to door by air. Driving is cheaper: taking the Tesla costs $57 against $270 to fly, a saving of $213. On the 0-100 stress scale the drive scores 15 and the flight 59.
Priced with fast charging at $0.50 per kWh and 3.7 miles per kWh, airfare from a $95 base plus $0.13 a mile per person, one $35 bag and a $30 ride at each end. Airfare is modelled from flight distance, not a live fare quote, so treat it as a typical fare rather than today's price. Rates last reviewed 14 September 2026; this trip last priced 18 October 2026.
Checking the route…
Check this yourself
- Distance and drive time come from live road routing, not straight lines.
- Every rate used is listed on Cost analysis and sourced on Sources.
- This trip as raw data: philadelphia-pa-to-richmond-va.json
- Last recalculated 2026-10-18 · checked 4×. Costs are modelled estimates, not quotes.
Questions about this trip
Is it cheaper to drive a Tesla or fly from Philadelphia, PA to Richmond, VA?
Driving costs about $57 and flying about $270, so driving is cheaper by $213. The drive counts charging and a hotel night if it takes more than a day. The flight counts fares, bags, airport food on long flights and the rides at both ends.
How long does each take, door to door?
The drive is about 4h 34m including 1 Supercharger stop. Flying is about 4h 16m, counting the trip to the airport, security, the flight and getting to your destination.
How many Supercharger stops will I need?
About 1 Supercharger stop for 255 mi, assuming you leave full and charge to roughly 80% at each stop. Real range drops in cold weather, rain and at high speed.
How accurate are these numbers?
They're modelled estimates, not quotes. Airfares change daily, so check a real fare before booking. This trip was last priced 18 October 2026. Every rate and where it comes from is on the Sources page.