Drive or Fly: Lakewood, NY to New York City, 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 BFD–LGA. At 366 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

7h 54m

Distance

366 mi

Total Cost

$116

CO2

148 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$81

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 49m

35m in the air

Air Distance

292 mi

Total Cost

$187

CO2

75 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Lakewood, NY → BFD 62m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 35m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

LGA → New York City, NY 12m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $132) $132

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Lakewood, NY BFD — Bradford Regional Airport 41 mi, ~62m drive

New York City, NY LGA — LaGuardia Airport 8 mi, ~12m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between BFD and LGA. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 4h 5m 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

13h 6m

11h 18m on rail

Total Cost

$66

CO2

19 kg

Route

Lake Shore Limited

Door-to-Door Timeline

Lakewood, NY → Erie Amtrak Station 58m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 678m

Arrival 10m

Ny Moynihan Train Hall At Penn Station → New York City, NY 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $66) $66

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

Stations

From Erie Amtrak Station 38 mi, ~58m drive

To Ny Moynihan Train Hall At Penn Station 3 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~1/week

+ Spacious seating with legroom and power outlets

+ Walk around freely during the trip

+ Scenic views along the route

+ No driving fatigue — relax or work en route

+ Much lower carbon footprint than driving or flying

− Limited schedule — about 1 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	7h 54m	3h 49m	13h 6m
Total cost (1 person)	$116	$187	$66
Carbon footprint	148 kg CO₂	75 kg CO₂	19 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 12, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Lakewood, NY to New York City, NY with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.