Drive or Fly: New York City, NY to Belfast, 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–BFD. At 324 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

6h 33m

Distance

324.2 mi

Total Cost

$107

CO2

131 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$72

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 50m

29m in the air

Air Distance

240 mi

Total Cost

$185

CO2

61 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

New York City, NY → LGA 12m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 29m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BFD → Belfast, NY 69m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $130) $130

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

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

Belfast, NY BFD — Bradford Regional Airport 46 mi, ~69m drive

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Saves about 2h 43m 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

10h 13m

8h 8m on rail

Total Cost

$57

CO2

17 kg

Route

Empire Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

New York City, NY → Ny Moynihan Train Hall At Penn Station 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 488m

Arrival 10m

Buffalo Depew Station → Belfast, NY 75m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $57) $57

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

Stations

From Ny Moynihan Train Hall At Penn Station 3 mi, ~10m drive

To Buffalo Depew Station 50 mi, ~75m 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 33m	3h 50m	10h 13m
Total cost (1 person)	$107	$185	$57
Carbon footprint	131 kg CO₂	61 kg CO₂	17 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 12, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from New York City, NY to Belfast, NY with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.