Drive or Fly: Ardara, PA to New Kensington, 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 LBE–PIT. At 18 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

36m

Distance

18.2 mi

Total Cost

$39

CO2

7 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$4

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 7m

2m in the air

Air Distance

15 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

4 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Ardara, PA → LBE 27m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 2m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

PIT → New Kensington, PA 38m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

Ardara, PA LBE — Arnold Palmer Regional Airport 18 mi, ~27m drive

New Kensington, PA PIT — Pittsburgh International Airport 25 mi, ~38m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between LBE and PIT. 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 37m

57m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

Pennsylvanian

Door-to-Door Timeline

Ardara, PA → Greensburg Amtrak 30m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 57m

Arrival 10m

Pittsburgh Amtrak Station → New Kensington, PA 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $5) $5

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

Stations

From Greensburg Amtrak 0 mi, ~30m drive

To Pittsburgh Amtrak Station 0 mi, ~30m 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 20m

55m on road

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Ardara, PA → Greensburg Westmoreland Transit Ctr (GSG6) 30m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 55m

Arrival 10m

Pittsburgh Intermodal Station (PGH6) → New Kensington, PA 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $3) $3

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

Stations

From GSG6 — Greensburg Westmoreland Transit Ctr 0 mi, ~30m drive

To PGH6 — Pittsburgh Intermodal Station 0 mi, ~30m 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	36m	3h 7m	2h 37m	2h 20m
Total cost (1 person)	$39	$121	$5	$3
Carbon footprint	7 kg CO₂	4 kg CO₂	1 kg CO₂	1 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 15, 2026.

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