Popular in | June | High demand for flights, 19% potential price rise |
Cheapest in | January | Best time to find cheap flights, 3% potential price drop |
Average price | $243 | Average for round-trip flights in August 2022 |
Round-trip from | $133 | From New York to Virginia |
One-way from | $10 | One-way flight from New York to Virginia |
NYC - ORF Price
|
$262 - $428
|
There is much to do and see in Virginia, so plan your Virginia flights and travel itinerary in advance. Once your flight to Virginia lands, the options are endless.
Richmond is the capital of Virginia and also known as the capital of Confederacy. Both the American Revolution and the Civil War ended in Virginia, and today Virginia is home to more presidential tourist attractions than any other state. George Washington built his home in Mt. Vernon; Monticello is the home of Thomas Jefferson; and the Lees set up camp in Stratford. To date, eight U.S. presidents were born in Virginia and seven of them are buried here. Booking a flight to Virginia is the first step in enjoying a perfectly historic vacation.
The nation’s largest defense barrier – the U.S. Pentagon – is based in Virginia, and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is located at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia. Travelers booking flights to Virginia will find easy access to Washington, DC, and Old Town Alexandria, where American history comes alive.
On the flight to Virginia, see if you can name all eight U.S. presidents born in Virginia and the seven presidents buried in Virginia.
Popular Destinations in Virginia
Virginia has four seasons, and the coastal areas are typically warmer and more humid than the mountains. On average the mountains are 10 degrees (F) cooler year-round, and they get some snow in winter as does Northern Virginia. Summer can have extremely hot and humid spells that are usually short but can last several weeks. Spring and fall are long seasons with mild temperatures and beautiful scenery.
Peak Season:
October is the busiest time when the leaf peepers come for the foliage. The Shenandoah National Park, Skyline Drive, and Blue Ridge Parkway are especially busy. Summer is the second peak season when visitors come to see the historic sites, theme parks, beaches, and mountains.
Colonial Williamsburg is busy most of the year, particularly in summer and over Christmas. Monticello is very busy on weekends in spring, summer, and October. The last Wednesday and Thursday of July is when the wild ponies of Assateague Island are herded up to swim the channel to Chincoteague.
Off Season:
The best time to visit Virginia is spring. Flowers, shrubs, and trees are blooming across the state, and Virginia is the least crowded and least expensive. Travelers willing to visit during the off season can usually find cheap flights to Virginia and discounted hotel rates.
Virginia flights from local airports can get travelers around the state quickly. Trains run north-south through Charlottesville, Fredericksburg, and Richmond, and east from Richmond to the Historic Triangle (Jamestown, Williamsburg, and Yorktown). Buses also provide service to cities and smaller towns.
Two of the major attractions are highways. The Skyline Drive goes along the Blue Ridge Mountains and, once out of Shenandoah National Park, becomes the Blue Ridge Parkway, which continues to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The Parkway alone attracts 20 million visitors a year. Driving is also the easiest way to explore the battlefields and plantations. If prefer tours, there are escorted bus tours of the historic sites.
The Colonial Williamsburg Historic Area is closed to all but a few cars. Shuttle buses get you from the parking areas to the historic district, and the Williamsburg Area Transport is the easiest way to get around outside the historic area.
Throughout the state there is ample opportunity for cycling, hiking, and walking. Colonial Williamsburg is best explored on foot or bicycle, and a 20-mile bike path tours the Historic Triangle. Richmond and Charlottesville are easy to explore on foot. Norfolk requires a car, but has free trolleys downtown.
Shenandoah Valley Regional Airport is a small airport located in Weyers Cave, Virginia, in the Northwest corner of the state.
It serves the communities of Staunton, Verona, Lexington and Harrisonburg, home to James Madison University. It’s also the closest airport to Roanoke and Blacksburg, home to Virginia Tech.
United Express, a regional branch of United Airlines, is the only airline carrier that serves the airport.
Shenandoah Valley Regional Airport only offers flights to and from Washington Dulles (IAD) and Chicago O’Hare (ORD) airports, United Express’s main two hub cities in the area. These two hub cities connect flights nationwide; both airports are also major centers for international travel.
As flights into Shenandoah Valley Airport are limited to just Washington Dulles and Chicago O’Hare, flights from any other departure city will require at least one connecting flight.
The necessity of one connecting flight greatly impacts flight lengths for most travelers headed for Shenandoah Valley Regional Airport, as nearly all departure cities will need to switch flights in Washington, D.C. or Chicago.
As a direct consequence, flight lengths will vary greatly, even from departure cities that are relatively close to Shenandoah Valley Regional Airport because passengers will have to fly to either Washington, D.C., or Chicago first. Layovers are also very common and can dramatically increase flight lengths.
Departure airports also impact flight lengths, as each airport has a different United hub airport—regardless of their proximity to Shenandoah Valley Regional Airport.
The greater New York metropolitan area features two United hub airports, LaGuardia and Newark; as a direct result, flights from these airports can take just over three hours, even with one connecting flight in Dulles International Airport. Flights from Philadelphia have to switch flights in Chicago, resulting in flight lengths that can easily exceed 20 hours and require two connecting flights plus a layover.
Even flights from Charleston, West Virginia take upwards of seven hours because passengers also have to fly into Chicago; if two stops are required, flight lengths can easily exceed 19 hours.
The only airports offering direct flights to Shenandoah Valley Regional Airport are Dulles International in Washington, D.C. and Chicago O’Hare.
Nonstop flights from Washington, D.C. take just under an hour; nonstop flights from Chicago take just under two hours.
Shenandoah Valley Regional Airport is centrally located between Staunton and Harrisonburg, with easy freeway access between both cities. It takes just 17 minutes to get from the airport to James Madison University; downtown Staunton is just 23 minutes away.
The easiest way to get from the airport to major local destinations like the James Madison campus and Staunton is by car.
Shenandoah Valley is one of the most beautiful regions in Virginia, set against a backdrop of the majestic Blue Ridge Mountains.
The Valley features multiple forests, wilderness areas, and parks, offering some of the most breathtaking scenery in the state. The Blue Ridge Parkway offers some of the most scenic drives in the area, including Shenandoah National Park, George Washington, and Jefferson National Forests and dozens of historic markers, hiking trails, rivers, lakes and charming small towns brimming with Southern hospitality.
Luray Caverns, nestled deep below the Blue Ridge Mountains, is a U.S. National Landmark featuring the largest and most visited caverns in Eastern America. Grand Caverns, in the Town of Grottoes, offers visitors the unique ability to explore the nation’s oldest continuously operated show cave.
The area is packed with museums and historic sites, from the George C. Marshall Museum and Library to Thomas Jefferson’s Poplar Forest, a personal retreat frequented by the founding father and his wife and First Lady, Martha.
Shenandoah Valley is full of fantastic wineries, craft breweries, farmer’s markets, apple orchards, casual eateries serving up heart, Southern home cooking and more.
Route 11 Potato Chips, one of the area’s most beloved snacks, is a popular destination, where visitors can watch as the irresistibly crunchy kettle-style chips are made and sample all of their flavors. White Oak Lavender Farm is another beloved destination, where visitors can pick fresh lavender during the summer and purchase handcrafted lotions, soaps and aromatherapy essentials all year long.
Passports are not necessary for any flights within the United States. U.S. citizens only need a photo ID, typically a state-issued driver’s license, to board commercial flights.