DCA from NJ
 

Hi,

I will be flying out of DCA at 12:30PM on the Monday after Easter and I will be coming from South Jersey.

I can't leave until 7AM and wondering if I have enough time.
I 40 minutes to the Delaware Memorial Bridge.
So I should be into Delaware before 8AM.
Figuring I should be safe getting to the airport no later than 11am?

So I also have to get through the tunnel.

I am hoping the morning commute will be over by the time I will be coming through.

Advice?

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I too can't understand why one would fly xDCA. But, if there is a reason, I would not bother with the drive. Amtrak to WAS and Metro to DCA. No muss, no fuss, traffic or anything else.

It was a last minute trip. We usually fly out of PHL from South Jersey.
I got 4 roundtrip tickets for DCA to MCO for 13544 each, plus 1 companion for 40,632.

Beats driving to Orlando.

I will look into the train option.

What am I in for on the drive?

Lousy drive + expensive parking.

Theory - you have a family and trying to save on cost which made DCA logical. Next time check all options including EWR, ABQ, Trenton and ACY (before they get rid of the flights).

Anyway, as the week after Easter is typically a light traffic week due to school breaks (reduced at minimum 15% of road traffic) - removing any major accident should be fine.
Now, on the flip side because it is a major vacation weekend for families - you must allocate MUCH more time arrival & parking at airport.

Thanks,

While we mainly fly out of PHL, back in February we did fly SW out of EWR to LAX.

They were giving away the flight from DCA. Nothing compared.
Normally the trip would take 2.5 to 3 hours.

Going to give it a shot.

This. Absolutely this, especially on Easter Monday morning.

Hear hear. But you may want to check ABE (Allentown/Bethlehem/Lehigh Valley) rather than ABQ (Albuquerque). If you thought the drive to DCA was long...! :)

OP will largely be driving against rush hour until late morning. Near DC, they will have access to the carpool only roads.

For one person, I would suggest the train, but this could be expensive (and crowded) for a family.

As much as I love Amtrak, I wouldn't say that it's a sure thing on time. I did a Fairfax-WIL commute on Monday AMs for about a year and tried train and car. Car was more predictable time wise.

Also, there are no car pool lanes south of B'more. on either 95 or BW Parkway. Listen to traffic or watch google maps to pick the quicker of the two.

Exactly. The predominant carpool lanes are the HOT lanes on 495, all travel lanes on I-66 inside the Beltway, and the "interior" lanes on I-395/Shirley Highway and the new Express lanes on I-95 south of the Beltway.

According to Google maps, you'll need 2 hours under ideal conditions to get to DCA from the Delaware Memorial Bridge. You haven't parked the car yet too so leaving just an hour for the 4 of you is something I would not recommend.

If you're really going to drive, you will need to rethink leaving as late as 7am. If driving is that important to you, saying you "can't" leave before 7am is a mistake. After the Del Mem Br, you'll have DE traffic and then traffic as you approach the Bmore beltway and then bumper to bumper between Bmore and DC. The risk of missing that flight is real. So turn that "can't" into a can.

got a deal on a new wash machine dryer. it was shipped to a north balt. warehouse. i picked it up friday at about.12:30. i think NSA had a short school day. i got from balt beltway to dc beltway down the bwi parkway in only 1 1/2 hour(20 or so miles). it was the week before easter, and maybe that was the cause.

but there always is a cause for a DC backup. only a couple dignitary motorcades a day.