Drive or Fly: Bangor, NY to Manhattan, NY?

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 MSS–LGA. At 341 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

7h 15m

Distance

341.1 mi

Total Cost

$110

CO2

138 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$75

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 19m

34m in the air

Air Distance

279 mi

Total Cost

$186

CO2

71 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Bangor, NY → MSS 35m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 34m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

LGA → Manhattan, NY 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $131) $131

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Bangor, NY MSS — Massena International Airport Richards Field 24 mi, ~35m drive

Manhattan, NY LGA — LaGuardia Airport 5 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MSS and LGA. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 3h 56m 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 33m

7h 32m on rail

Total Cost

$55

CO2

16 kg

Route

Adirondack

Door-to-Door Timeline

Bangor, NY → Plattsburgh Amtrak Station 71m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 452m

Arrival 10m

Ny Moynihan Train Hall At Penn Station → Manhattan, NY 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $55) $55

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

Stations

From Plattsburgh Amtrak Station 47 mi, ~71m drive

To Ny Moynihan Train Hall At Penn Station 3 mi, ~10m 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

8h 15m

6h 33m on road

Total Cost

$30

CO2

16 kg

Route

Greyhound US0200

Door-to-Door Timeline

Bangor, NY → Plattsburgh (PLB6) 67m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 393m

Arrival 10m

New York Port Authority (NYD6) → Manhattan, NY 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $30) $30

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

Stations

From PLB6 — Plattsburgh 45 mi, ~67m drive

To NYD6 — New York Port Authority 2 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~21/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

− 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	7h 15m	3h 19m	9h 33m	8h 15m
Total cost (1 person)	$110	$186	$55	$30
Carbon footprint	138 kg CO₂	71 kg CO₂	16 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: 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 17, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Bangor, NY to Manhattan, NY with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.