Drive or Fly: Malone, NY to Albany, 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 MSS–ALB. At 189 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

4h 13m

Distance

189.4 mi

Total Cost

$77

CO2

77 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$42

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 10m

18m in the air

Air Distance

154 mi

Total Cost

$126

CO2

39 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Malone, NY → MSS 41m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 18m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

ALB → Albany, NY 11m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Airports

Malone, NY MSS — Massena International Airport Richards Field 28 mi, ~41m drive

Albany, NY ALB — Albany International Airport 7 mi, ~11m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MSS and ALB. 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

6h 9m

4h 15m on rail

Total Cost

$29

CO2

8 kg

Route

Adirondack

Door-to-Door Timeline

Malone, NY → Plattsburgh Amtrak Station 64m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 255m

Arrival 10m

Albany-Rensselaer Amtrak Station → Albany, NY 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $29) $29

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

Stations

From Plattsburgh Amtrak Station 43 mi, ~64m drive

To Albany-Rensselaer 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

4h 31m

2h 55m on road

Total Cost

$16

CO2

8 kg

Route

FlixBus 2679

Door-to-Door Timeline

Malone, NY → Plattsburgh (PLB6) 61m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 175m

Arrival 10m

Albany Bus Terminal, NY (ALB6) → Albany, NY 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $16) $16

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

Stations

From PLB6 — Plattsburgh 41 mi, ~61m drive

To ALB6 — Albany Bus Terminal, NY 1 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	Train	Bus
Door-to-door time	4h 13m	3h 10m	6h 9m	4h 31m
Total cost (1 person)	$77	$126	$29	$16
Carbon footprint	77 kg CO₂	39 kg CO₂	8 kg CO₂	8 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, 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 12, 2026.

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