Drive or Fly: Cortland, NY to Buffalo, 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 ITH–BUF. At 182 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 52m

Distance

182.5 mi

Total Cost

$75

CO2

74 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$40

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 53m

17m in the air

Air Distance

138 mi

Total Cost

$126

CO2

35 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Cortland, NY → ITH 24m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 17m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BUF → Buffalo, NY 12m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Airports

Cortland, NY ITH — Ithaca Tompkins Regional Airport 16 mi, ~24m drive

Buffalo, NY BUF — Buffalo Niagara International Airport 8 mi, ~12m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ITH and BUF. 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

4h 14m

2h 35m on rail

Total Cost

$27

CO2

8 kg

Route

Maple Leaf

Door-to-Door Timeline

Cortland, NY → Syracuse Regional Transportation Center 49m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 155m

Arrival 10m

Buffalo → Buffalo, NY 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $27) $27

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

Stations

From Syracuse Regional Transportation Center 33 mi, ~49m drive

To Buffalo 1 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~1/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 1 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

5h 10m

4h 25m on road

Total Cost

$15

CO2

8 kg

Route

Greyhound US0215

Door-to-Door Timeline

Cortland, NY → Cortland (City Office Building) (CRT6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 265m

Arrival 10m

Buffalo (BUF) → Buffalo, NY 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $15) $15

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

Stations

From CRT6 — Cortland (City Office Building) 0 mi, ~10m drive

To BUF — Buffalo 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	Train	Bus
Door-to-door time	2h 52m	2h 53m	4h 14m	5h 10m
Total cost (1 person)	$75	$126	$27	$15
Carbon footprint	74 kg CO₂	35 kg CO₂	8 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, 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 16, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

162.2 mi 3h 32m

via I 90, NY 41, US 20; NY 5; NY 38

Alternative (+24 min)

177.1 mi 3h 57m

via I 90, NY 13, NY 96A

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Cortland, NY to Buffalo, NY with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.