Drive or Fly: New York City, NY to Auburn, 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 LGA–SYR. At 254 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

5h 24m

Distance

254 mi

Total Cost

$91

CO2

103 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$56

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 15m

24m in the air

Air Distance

202 mi

Total Cost

$183

CO2

52 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

New York City, NY → LGA 12m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 24m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SYR → Auburn, NY 39m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $128) $128

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

New York City, NY LGA — LaGuardia Airport 8 mi, ~12m drive

Auburn, NY SYR — Syracuse Hancock International Airport 26 mi, ~39m drive

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Saves about 2h 9m 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

7h 21m

5h 41m on rail

Total Cost

$39

CO2

15 kg

Route

Empire Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

New York City, NY → Ny Moynihan Train Hall At Penn Station 30m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 341m

Arrival 10m

Syracuse Regional Transportation Center → Auburn, NY 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $39) $39

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

Stations

From Ny Moynihan Train Hall At Penn Station 0 mi, ~30m drive

To Syracuse Regional Transportation Center 0 mi, ~30m 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	5h 24m	3h 15m	7h 21m
Total cost (1 person)	$91	$183	$39
Carbon footprint	103 kg CO₂	52 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 New York City, NY to Auburn, NY with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.