Drive or Fly: Haddam, CT to Manchester, 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

32.7 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

2m in the air

Air Distance

21 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

5 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Haddam, CT → HVN 37m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 2m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BDL → Manchester, CT 21m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

Haddam, CT HVN — Tweed New Haven Airport 25 mi, ~37m drive

Manchester, CT BDL — Bradley International Airport 14 mi, ~21m 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 26m

20m on road

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

Greyhound US0255s

Door-to-Door Timeline

Haddam, CT → New Britain (Jimmy'S Food Mart #1) (NBI6) 29m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 20m

Arrival 10m

Hartford (Union Station) (HAR6) → Manchester, CT 12m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $1) $1

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

Stations

From NBI6 — New Britain (Jimmy'S Food Mart #1) 19 mi, ~29m drive

To HAR6 — Hartford (Union Station) 8 mi, ~12m 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	3h	1h 26m
Total cost (1 person)	$42	$121	$1
Carbon footprint	13 kg CO₂	5 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: 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 18, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

32.7 mi 46m

via CT 9, I 91, CT 154

Alternative (+10 min)

33.8 mi 56m

via CT 2, CT 149, CT 83

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