Drive or Fly: Alabama, NY to Manhattan, NY?

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 BUF–LGA. At 363 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

7h 36m

Distance

363.2 mi

Total Cost

$116

CO2

147 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$81

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 13m

33m in the air

Air Distance

278 mi

Total Cost

$186

CO2

71 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Alabama, NY → BUF 30m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 33m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

LGA → Manhattan, NY 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $131) $131

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Alabama, NY BUF — Buffalo Niagara International Airport 20 mi, ~30m drive

Manhattan, NY LGA — LaGuardia Airport 5 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between BUF and LGA. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 4h 23m compared to driving

+ Less physical fatigue

+ Predictable arrival time

− Airport security and check-in overhead

− No scheduled commercial flights found for this route

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

9h 25m

8h 3m on rail

Total Cost

$57

CO2

17 kg

Route

Empire Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

Alabama, NY → Buffalo Depew Station 32m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 483m

Arrival 10m

Ny Moynihan Train Hall At Penn Station → Manhattan, NY 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $57) $57

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

Stations

From Buffalo Depew Station 21 mi, ~32m drive

To Ny Moynihan Train Hall At Penn Station 3 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~2/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 2 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

8h 50m

7h 58m on road

Total Cost

$29

CO2

15 kg

Route

Greyhound US0215

Door-to-Door Timeline

Alabama, NY → Batavia (48 Express) (BTA6) 17m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 478m

Arrival 10m

New York Port Authority (NYD6) → Manhattan, NY 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $29) $29

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

Stations

From BTA6 — Batavia (48 Express) 11 mi, ~17m drive

To NYD6 — New York Port Authority 2 mi, ~10m 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	Train	Bus
Door-to-door time	7h 36m	3h 13m	9h 25m	8h 50m
Total cost (1 person)	$116	$186	$57	$29
Carbon footprint	147 kg CO₂	71 kg CO₂	17 kg CO₂	15 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, 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 12, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Alabama, NY to Manhattan, NY with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.