Drive or Fly: Allentown, PA to Hickory, PA?

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 ABE–PIT. At 295 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

6h 3m

Distance

295.2 mi

Total Cost

$100

CO2

119 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$65

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 2m

31m in the air

Air Distance

254 mi

Total Cost

$185

CO2

65 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Allentown, PA → ABE 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 31m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

PIT → Hickory, PA 21m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $130) $130

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Allentown, PA ABE — Lehigh Valley International Airport 4 mi, ~10m drive

Hickory, PA PIT — Pittsburgh International Airport 14 mi, ~21m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ABE and PIT. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 3h 1m 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 1m

6h 53m on rail

Total Cost

$48

CO2

14 kg

Route

Pennsylvanian

Door-to-Door Timeline

Allentown, PA → Paoli Amtrak Station 59m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 413m

Arrival 10m

Pittsburgh Amtrak Station → Hickory, PA 29m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $48) $48

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

Stations

From Paoli Amtrak Station 39 mi, ~59m drive

To Pittsburgh Amtrak Station 19 mi, ~29m 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

7h 3m

5h 59m on road

Total Cost

$26

CO2

14 kg

Route

Greyhound US0420

Door-to-Door Timeline

Allentown, PA → Allentown (Allentown Bus Stop) (ALL6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 359m

Arrival 10m

Pittsburgh Intermodal Station (PGH6) → Hickory, PA 29m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $26) $26

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

Stations

From ALL6 — Allentown (Allentown Bus Stop) 1 mi, ~10m drive

To PGH6 — Pittsburgh Intermodal Station 19 mi, ~29m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~8/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 8 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	6h 3m	3h 2m	9h 1m	7h 3m
Total cost (1 person)	$100	$185	$48	$26
Carbon footprint	119 kg CO₂	65 kg CO₂	14 kg CO₂	14 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 16, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Allentown, PA to Hickory, PA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.