Drive or Fly: Highland, NY to Hempstead, 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 SWF–JFK. At 96 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 11m

Distance

96 mi

Total Cost

$56

CO2

39 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$21

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 48m

9m in the air

Air Distance

72 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

18 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Highland, NY → SWF 25m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 9m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

JFK → Hempstead, NY 14m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Highland, NY SWF — New York Stewart International Airport 17 mi, ~25m drive

Hempstead, NY JFK — John F. Kennedy International Airport 10 mi, ~14m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between SWF and JFK. 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly
Door-to-door time	2h 11m	2h 48m
Total cost (1 person)	$56	$123
Carbon footprint	39 kg CO₂	18 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

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

96 mi 2h 11m

via I 87, NJ 17, US 9W; US 44; NY 55

Shortest (+2 min)

94.7 mi 2h 13m

via Palisades Interstate Parkway, US 9W, US 9W; US 44; NY 55

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