Drive or Fly: Albany, NY to New York City, 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 ALB–LGA. At 150 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

3h 5m

Distance

150 mi

Total Cost

$68

CO2

61 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$33

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 39m

16m in the air

Air Distance

135 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

34 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Albany, NY → ALB 11m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 16m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

LGA → New York City, NY 12m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

Albany, NY ALB — Albany International Airport 7 mi, ~11m drive

New York City, NY LGA — LaGuardia Airport 8 mi, ~12m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ALB and LGA. 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

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

4h 12m

2h 32m on rail

Total Cost

$26

CO2

9 kg

Route

Empire Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

Albany, NY → Albany-Rensselaer Amtrak Station 30m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 152m

Arrival 10m

Ny Moynihan Train Hall At Penn Station → New York City, NY 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $26) $26

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

Stations

From Albany-Rensselaer Amtrak Station 0 mi, ~30m drive

To Ny Moynihan Train Hall At Penn Station 0 mi, ~30m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~10/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 10 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	3h 5m	2h 39m	4h 12m
Total cost (1 person)	$68	$125	$26
Carbon footprint	61 kg CO₂	34 kg CO₂	9 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 — 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 Albany, NY to New York City, NY with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.