Drive or Fly: Boston, MA to Amherst, MA?

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 BOS–BDL. At 93 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

2h 9m

Distance

93.7 mi

Total Cost

$56

CO2

38 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$21

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

9m in the air

Air Distance

74 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

19 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Boston, MA → BOS 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 9m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BDL → Amherst, MA 46m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Boston, MA BOS — Boston Logan International Airport 3 mi, ~10m drive

Amherst, MA BDL — Bradley International Airport 31 mi, ~46m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between BOS and BDL. 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

4h 50m

4h 5m on road

Total Cost

CO2

4 kg

Route

Greyhound US0256S

Door-to-Door Timeline

Boston, MA → Boston (South Station) (BOS6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 245m

Arrival 10m

University of Massachusetts Amherst (AMH6) → Amherst, MA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $8) $8

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

Stations

From BOS6 — Boston (South Station) 1 mi, ~10m drive

To AMH6 — University of Massachusetts Amherst 2 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	2h 9m	3h 5m	4h 50m
Total cost (1 person)	$56	$123	$8
Carbon footprint	38 kg CO₂	19 kg CO₂	4 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 12, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Boston, MA to Amherst, MA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.