Drive or Fly: Lake Ronkonkoma, NY to Buffalo, 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 ISP–BUF. At 424 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

8h 57m

Distance

424.8 mi

Total Cost

$129

CO2

172 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$94

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

− Driver fatigue on longer stretches

− Wear and tear on vehicle

− Fuel price fluctuations

Plan the drive

Fly

Door to Door

3h 1m

39m in the air

Air Distance

328 mi

Total Cost

$188

CO2

84 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Lake Ronkonkoma, NY → ISP 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 39m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BUF → Buffalo, NY 12m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $133) $133

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Lake Ronkonkoma, NY ISP — Long Island MacArthur Airport 3 mi, ~10m drive

Buffalo, NY BUF — Buffalo Niagara International Airport 8 mi, ~12m drive

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Saves about 5h 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly
Door-to-door time	8h 57m	3h 1m
Total cost (1 person)	$129	$188
Carbon footprint	172 kg CO₂	84 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 13, 2026.

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