Drive or Fly: Meriden, CT to Willimantic, CT?

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 HVN–BDL. At 46 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

Distance

46.2 mi

Total Cost

$45

CO2

19 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$10

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 17m

4m in the air

Air Distance

33 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

8 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Meriden, CT → HVN 29m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 4m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BDL → Willimantic, CT 44m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

Meriden, CT HVN — Tweed New Haven Airport 20 mi, ~29m drive

Willimantic, CT BDL — Bradley International Airport 29 mi, ~44m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between HVN and BDL. 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

1h 57m

30m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

Amtrak Hartford Line

Door-to-Door Timeline

Meriden, CT → Meriden 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 30m

Arrival 10m

Windsor → Willimantic, CT 37m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $5) $5

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

Stations

From Meriden 0 mi, ~10m drive

To Windsor 24 mi, ~37m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~25/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	3h 17m	1h 57m
Total cost (1 person)	$45	$121	$5
Carbon footprint	19 kg CO₂	8 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 Meriden, CT to Willimantic, CT with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.