Drive or Fly: Meredith, NY to Buffalo, 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 BGM–BUF. At 243 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

5h 25m

Distance

243.5 mi

Total Cost

$89

CO2

98 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$54

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 58m

24m in the air

Air Distance

204 mi

Total Cost

$183

CO2

52 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Meredith, NY → BGM 82m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 24m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BUF → Buffalo, NY 12m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $128) $128

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Meredith, NY BGM — Greater Binghamton/Edwin A Link field 54 mi, ~82m drive

Buffalo, NY BUF — Buffalo Niagara International Airport 8 mi, ~12m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between BGM and BUF. 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

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

5h 52m

3h 42m on rail

Total Cost

$37

CO2

11 kg

Route

Maple Leaf

Door-to-Door Timeline

Meredith, NY → Utica Amtrak Station 80m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 222m

Arrival 10m

Buffalo → Buffalo, NY 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $37) $37

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

Stations

From Utica Amtrak Station 54 mi, ~80m drive

To Buffalo 1 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~1/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 1 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

6h 36m

4h 41m on road

Total Cost

$18

CO2

9 kg

Route

FlixBus 2686

Door-to-Door Timeline

Meredith, NY → Binghamton (BGH6) 80m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 281m

Arrival 10m

Buffalo (BUF) → Buffalo, NY 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $18) $18

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

Stations

From BGH6 — Binghamton 53 mi, ~80m drive

To BUF — Buffalo 0 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~33/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

− 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	5h 25m	3h 58m	5h 52m	6h 36m
Total cost (1 person)	$89	$183	$37	$18
Carbon footprint	98 kg CO₂	52 kg CO₂	11 kg CO₂	9 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 15, 2026.

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