Drive or Fly: Brunswick, NY to Richmond Hill, 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 ALB–JFK. At 168 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:
Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

3h 40m

Distance

168.6 mi

Total Cost

$72

CO2

68 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$37
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 45m

17m in the air

Air Distance

141 mi

Total Cost

$126

CO2

36 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Brunswick, NY → ALB 18m
Check-in & Security 90m
Flight 17m
Arrival & Baggage 30m
JFK → Richmond Hill, NY 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Airports

Brunswick, NY ALB — Albany International Airport 12 mi, ~18m drive
Richmond Hill, NY JFK — John F. Kennedy International Airport 5 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ALB and JFK. 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

3h 43m

2h 32m on rail

Total Cost

$26

CO2

8 kg

Route

Empire Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

Brunswick, NY → Albany-Rensselaer Amtrak Station 17m
Boarding 30m
Train ride 152m
Arrival 10m
Ny Moynihan Train Hall At Penn Station → Richmond Hill, NY 14m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $26) $26

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

Stations

From Albany-Rensselaer Amtrak Station 11 mi, ~17m drive
To Ny Moynihan Train Hall At Penn Station 9 mi, ~14m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~10/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 10 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 3h 40m 2h 45m 3h 43m
Total cost (1 person) $72 $126 $26
Carbon footprint 68 kg CO2 36 kg CO2 8 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 Brunswick, NY to Richmond Hill, NY with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.