Drive or Fly: Lake Erie Beach, NY to Brooklyn, 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 BUF–JFK. At 388 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

8h 28m

Distance

388.4 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

157 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$86

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

3h 32m

36m in the air

Air Distance

297 mi

Total Cost

$187

CO2

76 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Lake Erie Beach, NY → BUF 42m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 36m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

JFK → Brooklyn, NY 14m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $132) $132

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Lake Erie Beach, NY BUF — Buffalo Niagara International Airport 28 mi, ~42m drive

Brooklyn, NY JFK — John F. Kennedy International Airport 9 mi, ~14m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between BUF and JFK. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 4h 56m compared to driving

+ Less physical fatigue

+ Predictable arrival time

− Airport security and check-in overhead

− No scheduled commercial flights found for this route

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

9h 41m

8h 20m on rail

Total Cost

$58

CO2

17 kg

Route

Empire Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

Lake Erie Beach, NY → Buffalo 30m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 500m

Arrival 10m

Ny Moynihan Train Hall At Penn Station → Brooklyn, NY 11m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $58) $58

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

Stations

From Buffalo 20 mi, ~30m drive

To Ny Moynihan Train Hall At Penn Station 7 mi, ~11m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~2/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

− Limited schedule — about 2 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	8h 28m	3h 32m	9h 41m
Total cost (1 person)	$121	$187	$58
Carbon footprint	157 kg CO₂	76 kg CO₂	17 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 15, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Lake Erie Beach, NY to Brooklyn, NY with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.