Drive or Fly: Lehighton, PA to Upper Darby, PA?

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 ABE–PHL. At 76 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:
Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

1h 38m

Distance

76.5 mi

Total Cost

$52

CO2

31 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$17
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 47m

8m in the air

Air Distance

67 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

17 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Lehighton, PA → ABE 29m
Check-in & Security 90m
Flight 8m
Arrival & Baggage 30m
PHL → Upper Darby, PA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Lehighton, PA ABE — Lehigh Valley International Airport 19 mi, ~29m drive
Upper Darby, PA PHL — Philadelphia International Airport 4 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ABE and PHL. 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

2h 41m

27m on rail

Total Cost

$3

CO2

1 kg

Route

Keystone Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

Lehighton, PA → Paoli Amtrak Station 84m
Boarding 30m
Train ride 27m
Arrival 10m
Philadelphia → Upper Darby, PA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $3) $3

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

Stations

From Paoli Amtrak Station 56 mi, ~84m drive
To Philadelphia 5 mi, ~10m 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 1h 38m 2h 47m 2h 41m
Total cost (1 person) $52 $123 $3
Carbon footprint 31 kg CO2 17 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 13, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Lehighton, PA to Upper Darby, PA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.