Drive or Fly: Malone, NY to Washington Heights, 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–LGA. At 330 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

6h 58m

Distance

330.4 mi

Total Cost

$108

CO2

133 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$73

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 24m

33m in the air

Air Distance

277 mi

Total Cost

$186

CO2

71 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Malone, NY → MSS 41m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 33m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

LGA → Washington Heights, NY 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $131) $131

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

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

Washington Heights, NY LGA — LaGuardia Airport 6 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Saves about 3h 34m 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

8h 52m

6h 58m on rail

Total Cost

$52

CO2

15 kg

Route

Adirondack

Door-to-Door Timeline

Malone, NY → Plattsburgh Amtrak Station 64m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 418m

Arrival 10m

Yonkers Amtrak Station → Washington Heights, NY 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $52) $52

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

Stations

From Plattsburgh Amtrak Station 43 mi, ~64m drive

To Yonkers Amtrak Station 6 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	6h 58m	3h 24m	8h 52m
Total cost (1 person)	$108	$186	$52
Carbon footprint	133 kg CO₂	71 kg CO₂	15 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 Malone, NY to Washington Heights, NY with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.