Drive or Fly: Dundee, NY to Manhattan, 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 ELM–LGA. At 272 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

5h 41m

Distance

272.3 mi

Total Cost

$95

CO2

110 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$60

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 12m

24m in the air

Air Distance

196 mi

Total Cost

$183

CO2

50 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Dundee, NY → ELM 38m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 24m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

LGA → Manhattan, NY 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $128) $128

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Dundee, NY ELM — Elmira Corning Regional Airport 26 mi, ~38m drive

Manhattan, NY LGA — LaGuardia Airport 5 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ELM and LGA. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 2h 29m 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

9h 20m

7h 8m on rail

Total Cost

$50

CO2

14 kg

Route

Empire Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

Dundee, NY → Rochester 82m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 428m

Arrival 10m

Ny Moynihan Train Hall At Penn Station → Manhattan, NY 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $50) $50

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

Stations

From Rochester 55 mi, ~82m drive

To Ny Moynihan Train Hall At Penn Station 3 mi, ~10m 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	5h 41m	3h 12m	9h 20m
Total cost (1 person)	$95	$183	$50
Carbon footprint	110 kg CO₂	50 kg CO₂	14 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 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

272.3 mi 5h 41m

via I 80, I 86; NY 17; NY 13, I 81

Alternative (+32 min)

287.8 mi 6h 14m

via I 86; NY 17; NY 13, I 81, I 78; US 22

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