Drive or Fly: Durham, PA to Allentown, PA?

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 ABE–ABE. At 20 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

36m

Distance

20.2 mi

Total Cost

$39

CO2

8 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$4

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 31m

2m in the air

Air Distance

14 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

4 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Durham, PA → ABE 19m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 2m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

ABE → Allentown, PA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

Durham, PA ABE — Lehigh Valley International Airport 13 mi, ~19m drive

Allentown, PA ABE — Lehigh Valley International Airport 4 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ABE and ABE. 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 41m

1h 10m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

Keystone Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

Durham, PA → Trenton 52m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 70m

Arrival 10m

Paoli Amtrak Station → Allentown, PA 59m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $8) $8

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

Stations

From Trenton 35 mi, ~52m drive

To Paoli Amtrak Station 39 mi, ~59m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~75/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

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

1h 16m

30m on road

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

FlixBus 2650

Door-to-Door Timeline

Durham, PA → William Penn Park and Ride (Easton/Bethlehem) (6EB) 11m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 30m

Arrival 10m

Allentown (Allentown Bus Stop) (ALL6) → Allentown, PA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $1) $1

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

Stations

From 6EB — William Penn Park and Ride (Easton/Bethlehem) 7 mi, ~11m drive

To ALL6 — Allentown (Allentown Bus Stop) 1 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~8/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

− Limited schedule — about 8 trips per week

− 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	36m	2h 31m	3h 41m	1h 16m
Total cost (1 person)	$39	$121	$8	$1
Carbon footprint	8 kg CO₂	4 kg CO₂	2 kg CO₂	1 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 13, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Durham, PA to Allentown, PA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.