Drive or Fly: Lawrence, MA to Holyoke, MA?

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 BED–BDL. At 102 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:
Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

2h 8m

Distance

102.6 mi

Total Cost

$58

CO2

41 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$23
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 4m

10m in the air

Air Distance

82 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

21 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Lawrence, MA → BED 26m
Check-in & Security 90m
Flight 10m
Arrival & Baggage 30m
BDL → Holyoke, MA 28m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Lawrence, MA BED — Laurence G Hanscom Field 18 mi, ~26m drive
Holyoke, MA BDL — Bradley International Airport 19 mi, ~28m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between BED and BDL. 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

4h 53m

4h 4m on road

Total Cost

$8

CO2

4 kg

Route

Greyhound US0256S

Door-to-Door Timeline

Lawrence, MA → Robert B Kennedy Bus Transfer Center (Lowell, MA) (6LW) 14m
Boarding 15m
Bus ride 244m
Arrival 10m
Springfield Union Station (SPM6) → Holyoke, MA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $8) $8

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

Stations

From 6LW — Robert B Kennedy Bus Transfer Center (Lowell, MA) 9 mi, ~14m drive
To SPM6 — Springfield Union Station 7 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~7/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
Limited schedule — about 7 trips per week
Travel time longer than driving
Need transportation to/from station
Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

Drive Fly Bus
Door-to-door time 2h 8m 3h 4m 4h 53m
Total cost (1 person) $58 $123 $8
Carbon footprint 41 kg CO2 21 kg CO2 4 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 13, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Lawrence, MA to Holyoke, MA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.