Drive or Fly: Allegany, NY to Buffalo, 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 BFD–BUF. At 77 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 48m

Distance

77.9 mi

Total Cost

$52

CO2

31 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$17

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 51m

7m in the air

Air Distance

58 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

15 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Allegany, NY → BFD 32m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 7m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BUF → Buffalo, NY 12m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

Allegany, NY BFD — Bradford Regional Airport 21 mi, ~32m drive

Buffalo, NY BUF — Buffalo Niagara International Airport 8 mi, ~12m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between BFD and BUF. 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

2h 30m

13m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

0 kg

Route

Maple Leaf

Door-to-Door Timeline

Allegany, NY → Buffalo Depew Station 87m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 13m

Arrival 10m

Buffalo → Buffalo, NY 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $2) $2

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

Stations

From Buffalo Depew Station 58 mi, ~87m drive

To Buffalo 1 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~1/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 1 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

3h 58m

2h 5m on road

Total Cost

CO2

4 kg

Route

FlixBus 2686

Door-to-Door Timeline

Allegany, NY → Dansville (Family Dollar) (6DS) 78m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 125m

Arrival 10m

Buffalo (BUF) → Buffalo, NY 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $7) $7

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

Stations

From 6DS — Dansville (Family Dollar) 52 mi, ~78m drive

To BUF — Buffalo 0 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~7/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

− Limited schedule — about 7 trips per week

− 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	1h 48m	2h 51m	2h 30m	3h 58m
Total cost (1 person)	$52	$122	$2	$7
Carbon footprint	31 kg CO₂	15 kg CO₂	0 kg CO₂	4 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 18, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

77.9 mi 1h 48m

via US 219, I 86; NY 17, I 190

Alternative (+2 min)

78.6 mi 1h 50m

via NY 16, NY 16; NY 400, I 86; NY 17

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