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Drive or Fly: Lloyd, NY to Utica, 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 SWF–SYR. At 162 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:
Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 12m

Distance

162.5 mi

Total Cost

$71

CO2

66 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$36
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 45m

14m in the air

Air Distance

113 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

29 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Lloyd, NY → SWF 25m
Check-in & Security 90m
Flight 14m
Arrival & Baggage 30m
SYR → Utica, NY 66m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

Lloyd, NY SWF — New York Stewart International Airport 17 mi, ~25m drive
Utica, NY SYR — Syracuse Hancock International Airport 44 mi, ~66m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between SWF and SYR. 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

4h 9m

3h 9m on rail

Total Cost

$23

CO2

7 kg

Route

Empire Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

Lloyd, NY → Poughkeepsie Amtrak Station 10m
Boarding 30m
Train ride 189m
Arrival 10m
Utica Amtrak Station → Utica, NY 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $23) $23

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

Stations

From Poughkeepsie Amtrak Station 4 mi, ~10m drive
To Utica Amtrak Station 1 mi, ~10m 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 3h 12m 3h 45m 4h 9m
Total cost (1 person) $71 $125 $23
Carbon footprint 66 kg CO2 29 kg CO2 7 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 16, 2026.

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