Drive or Fly: Amherst, MA to City of Lowell, MA?

Side-by-side comparison of driving versus flying for this route. Costs, time, and trade-offs at a glance.

Driving wins

Low

No scheduled commercial flights found for this route. At 78 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Drive

Door to Door

1h 58m

Distance

78.5 mi

Total Cost

$48

CO2

32 kg

Cost Breakdown

Fuel$13

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

8m in the air

Air Distance

64 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

16 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Amherst, MA → Airport 18m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 8m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

Airport → City of Lowell, MA 17m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Amherst, MA Westover Air Reserve Base / Metropolitan Airport 12 mi, ~18m drive

City of Lowell, MA Lawrence Municipal Airport 12 mi, ~17m drive

No scheduled flights found

Could not identify commercial airports for this route. All flight estimates 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly
Door-to-door time	1h 58m	2h 43m
Total cost (1 person)	$48	$123
Carbon footprint	32 kg CO₂	16 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: GeoNames (legacy)

Confidence: Low — limited airport data

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 Amherst, MA to City of Lowell, MA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.