Drive or Fly: Brooklyn, NY to Bayside, 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 JFK–LGA. At 16 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:
Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

30m

Distance

16.5 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

2h 25m

1m in the air

Air Distance

12 mi

Total Cost

$120

CO2

3 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Brooklyn, NY → JFK 14m
Check-in & Security 90m
Flight 1m
Arrival & Baggage 30m
LGA → Bayside, NY 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $120) $120

Airports

Brooklyn, NY JFK — John F. Kennedy International Airport 9 mi, ~14m drive
Bayside, NY LGA — LaGuardia Airport 5 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between JFK and LGA. 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

1h 35m

29m on rail

Total Cost

$3

CO2

1 kg

Route

Northeast Regional

Door-to-Door Timeline

Brooklyn, NY → Ny Moynihan Train Hall At Penn Station 11m
Boarding 30m
Train ride 29m
Arrival 10m
New Rochelle Amtrak Station → Bayside, NY 15m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $3) $3

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

Stations

From Ny Moynihan Train Hall At Penn Station 7 mi, ~11m drive
To New Rochelle Amtrak Station 10 mi, ~15m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~100/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
Amtrak delays can be unpredictable
Need transportation to/from station
Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

Drive Fly Train
Door-to-door time 30m 2h 25m 1h 35m
Total cost (1 person) $39 $120 $3
Carbon footprint 7 kg CO2 3 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 — 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 Brooklyn, NY to Bayside, NY with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.