Drive or Fly: Chatham, MA to Springfield, 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 HYA–BDL. At 171 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

3h 42m

Distance

171.8 mi

Total Cost

$73

CO2

69 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$38

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

17m in the air

Air Distance

138 mi

Total Cost

$126

CO2

35 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Chatham, MA → HYA 25m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 17m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BDL → Springfield, MA 18m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Airports

Chatham, MA HYA — Cape Cod Gateway Airport 17 mi, ~25m drive

Springfield, MA BDL — Bradley International Airport 12 mi, ~18m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between HYA 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

3h 54m

1h 30m on road

Total Cost

CO2

5 kg

Route

Greyhound US0240

Door-to-Door Timeline

Chatham, MA → Boston (South Station) (BOS6) 109m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 90m

Arrival 10m

Springfield Union Station (SPM6) → Springfield, MA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $9) $9

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

Stations

From BOS6 — Boston (South Station) 73 mi, ~109m drive

To SPM6 — Springfield Union Station 0 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~14/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	Bus
Door-to-door time	3h 42m	3h	3h 54m
Total cost (1 person)	$73	$126	$9
Carbon footprint	69 kg CO₂	35 kg CO₂	5 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 13, 2026.

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