Drive or Fly: Highlands, NJ to Menlo Park, NJ?

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 JFK–EWR. At 26 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

42m

Distance

26.9 mi

Total Cost

$41

CO2

11 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$6

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 51m

3m in the air

Air Distance

21 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

5 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Highlands, NJ → JFK 30m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 3m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

EWR → Menlo Park, NJ 18m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

Highlands, NJ JFK — John F. Kennedy International Airport 20 mi, ~30m drive

Menlo Park, NJ EWR — Newark Liberty International Airport 12 mi, ~18m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between JFK and EWR. 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 52m

50m on road

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

FlixBus 2609

Door-to-Door Timeline

Highlands, NJ → Brooklyn (3 Av/38th St) (6BRO) 26m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 50m

Arrival 10m

New Brunswick (Downtown) (6RU) → Menlo Park, NJ 11m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $3) $3

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

Stations

From 6BRO — Brooklyn (3 Av/38th St) 17 mi, ~26m drive

To 6RU — New Brunswick (Downtown) 7 mi, ~11m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~19/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

− Travel time longer than driving

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Bus
Door-to-door time	42m	2h 51m	1h 52m
Total cost (1 person)	$41	$121	$3
Carbon footprint	11 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 14, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Highlands, NJ to Menlo Park, NJ with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.