Drive or Fly: East Aurora, NY to New York City, 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 BUF–LGA. At 353 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

7h 28m

Distance

353.4 mi

Total Cost

$114

CO2

143 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$79

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 5m

33m in the air

Air Distance

277 mi

Total Cost

$186

CO2

71 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

East Aurora, NY → BUF 20m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 33m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

LGA → New York City, NY 12m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $131) $131

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

East Aurora, NY BUF — Buffalo Niagara International Airport 13 mi, ~20m drive

New York City, NY LGA — LaGuardia Airport 8 mi, ~12m drive

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Saves about 4h 23m 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 10m

8h 3m on rail

Total Cost

$57

CO2

17 kg

Route

Empire Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

East Aurora, NY → Buffalo Depew Station 17m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 483m

Arrival 10m

Ny Moynihan Train Hall At Penn Station → New York City, NY 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $57) $57

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

Stations

From Buffalo Depew Station 11 mi, ~17m 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	7h 28m	3h 5m	9h 10m
Total cost (1 person)	$114	$186	$57
Carbon footprint	143 kg CO₂	71 kg CO₂	17 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 13, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from East Aurora, NY to New York City, NY with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.