Drive or Fly: Brooklyn, NY to Philadelphia, 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–ART. At 326 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:
Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

6h 59m

Distance

326.3 mi

Total Cost

$107

CO2

132 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$72
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 14m

31m in the air

Air Distance

258 mi

Total Cost

$185

CO2

66 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Brooklyn, NY → JFK 14m
Check-in & Security 90m
Flight 31m
Arrival & Baggage 30m
ART → Philadelphia, NY 29m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $130) $130
Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Brooklyn, NY JFK — John F. Kennedy International Airport 9 mi, ~14m drive
Philadelphia, NY ART — Watertown International Airport 19 mi, ~29m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between JFK and ART. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 3h 45m 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

7h 20m

4h 48m on rail

Total Cost

$37

CO2

11 kg

Route

Empire Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

Brooklyn, NY → Ny Moynihan Train Hall At Penn Station 11m
Boarding 30m
Train ride 288m
Arrival 10m
Rome Amtrak Station → Philadelphia, NY 101m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $37) $37

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

Stations

From Ny Moynihan Train Hall At Penn Station 7 mi, ~11m drive
To Rome Amtrak Station 67 mi, ~101m 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

At a Glance

Drive Fly Train
Door-to-door time 6h 59m 3h 14m 7h 20m
Total cost (1 person) $107 $185 $37
Carbon footprint 132 kg CO2 66 kg CO2 11 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 Philadelphia, NY with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.