Drive or Fly: East Haven, CT to Bristol, CT?

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 HVN–BDL. At 32 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

46m

Distance

32.2 mi

Total Cost

$42

CO2

13 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$7

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 47m

3m in the air

Air Distance

28 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

7 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

East Haven, CT → HVN 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 3m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BDL → Bristol, CT 34m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

East Haven, CT HVN — Tweed New Haven Airport 1 mi, ~10m drive

Bristol, CT BDL — Bradley International Airport 23 mi, ~34m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between HVN 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

1h 33m

45m on road

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

Greyhound US0255s

Door-to-Door Timeline

East Haven, CT → New Haven Bus Stop (NHV6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 45m

Arrival 10m

New Britain (Jimmy'S Food Mart #1) (NBI6) → Bristol, CT 13m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $3) $3

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

Stations

From NHV6 — New Haven Bus Stop 3 mi, ~10m drive

To NBI6 — New Britain (Jimmy'S Food Mart #1) 9 mi, ~13m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~7/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 7 trips per week

− Travel time longer than driving

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Bus
Door-to-door time	46m	2h 47m	1h 33m
Total cost (1 person)	$42	$121	$3
Carbon footprint	13 kg CO₂	7 kg CO₂	2 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 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

32.2 mi 46m

via CT 10, I 91

Alternative (+5 min)

33.7 mi 52m

via CT 10, I 91

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from East Haven, CT to Bristol, CT with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.