Drive or Fly: New York City, NY to Geneva, 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–ITH. At 272 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

5h 49m

Distance

272.3 mi

Total Cost

$95

CO2

110 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$60

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 34m

26m in the air

Air Distance

214 mi

Total Cost

$184

CO2

54 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

New York City, NY → LGA 12m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 26m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

ITH → Geneva, NY 56m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $129) $129

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

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

Geneva, NY ITH — Ithaca Tompkins Regional Airport 37 mi, ~56m drive

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Saves about 2h 15m 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 49m

7h 2m on rail

Total Cost

$50

CO2

14 kg

Route

Empire Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

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

Boarding 30m

Train ride 422m

Arrival 10m

Rochester → Geneva, NY 57m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $50) $50

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

Stations

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

To Rochester 38 mi, ~57m 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 49m	3h 34m	8h 49m
Total cost (1 person)	$95	$184	$50
Carbon footprint	110 kg CO₂	54 kg CO₂	14 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 16, 2026.

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