Drive or Fly: Allentown, PA to Malvern, 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–PHL. At 59 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 12m

Distance

59.7 mi

Total Cost

$48

CO2

24 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$13

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 43m

5m in the air

Air Distance

40 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

10 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Allentown, PA → ABE 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 5m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

PHL → Malvern, PA 28m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

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

Malvern, PA PHL — Philadelphia International Airport 18 mi, ~28m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ABE and PHL. 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

3h 15m

2h 30m on road

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

FlixBus 2651

Door-to-Door Timeline

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

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 150m

Arrival 10m

Malvern (6MV) → Malvern, PA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $4) $4

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

Stations

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

To 6MV — Malvern 1 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	Bus
Door-to-door time	1h 12m	2h 43m	3h 15m
Total cost (1 person)	$48	$122	$4
Carbon footprint	24 kg CO₂	10 kg CO₂	2 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: 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

59.7 mi 1h 12m

via I 476; PATP, I 276; PATP, Tilghman Street

Shortest (+11 min)

49.9 mi 1h 24m

via PA 29, PA 100, PA 724

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