Drive or Fly: Hillside, NY to Staten Island, 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 JFK–EWR. At 30 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

55m

Distance

30.6 mi

Total Cost

$42

CO2

12 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 26m

3m in the air

Air Distance

21 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

5 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Hillside, NY → JFK 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 3m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

EWR → Staten Island, NY 13m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

Hillside, NY JFK — John F. Kennedy International Airport 5 mi, ~10m drive

Staten Island, NY EWR — Newark Liberty International Airport 9 mi, ~13m 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

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

1h 32m

21m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

Northeast Regional

Door-to-Door Timeline

Hillside, NY → Ny Moynihan Train Hall At Penn Station 17m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 21m

Arrival 10m

Newark Liberty International Airport → Staten Island, NY 14m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $2) $2

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

Stations

From Ny Moynihan Train Hall At Penn Station 11 mi, ~17m drive

To Newark Liberty International Airport 10 mi, ~14m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~100/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

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	55m	2h 26m	1h 32m
Total cost (1 person)	$42	$121	$2
Carbon footprint	12 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: 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 16, 2026.

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