Drive or Fly: Altoona, PA to Decatur, 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 AOO–SCE. At 81 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 48m

Distance

81.9 mi

Total Cost

$53

CO2

33 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$18

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 5m

6m in the air

Air Distance

51 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

13 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Altoona, PA → AOO 24m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 6m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SCE → Decatur, PA 35m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

Altoona, PA AOO — Altoona Blair County Airport 16 mi, ~24m drive

Decatur, PA SCE — State College Regional Airport 23 mi, ~35m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between AOO and SCE. 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 28m

1h 23m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

3 kg

Route

Pennsylvanian

Door-to-Door Timeline

Altoona, PA → Altoona Amtrak Station 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 83m

Arrival 10m

Lewistown Amtrak Station → Decatur, PA 15m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $9) $9

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

Stations

From Altoona Amtrak Station 0 mi, ~10m drive

To Lewistown Amtrak Station 10 mi, ~15m 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

2h 34m

1h 45m on road

Total Cost

CO2

3 kg

Route

Greyhound US0400s

Door-to-Door Timeline

Altoona, PA → Altoona Bus Station (ALT6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 105m

Arrival 10m

Lewistown (Square Cafe & Bakery) (LIS6) → Decatur, PA 14m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $5) $5

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

Stations

From ALT6 — Altoona Bus Station 0 mi, ~10m drive

To LIS6 — Lewistown (Square Cafe & Bakery) 9 mi, ~14m 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	3h 5m	2h 28m	2h 34m
Total cost (1 person)	$53	$122	$9	$5
Carbon footprint	33 kg CO₂	13 kg CO₂	3 kg CO₂	3 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.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

81.9 mi 1h 47m

via I 99; US 220, US 322; PA 144 Truck, US 522

Shortest (+11 min)

79.7 mi 1h 58m

via US 22, PA 453, I 99; US 220

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