Drive or Fly: New York City, NY to Lakewood, 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 370 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

7h 53m

Distance

370.5 mi

Total Cost

$117

CO2

150 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$82

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 49m

35m in the air

Air Distance

292 mi

Total Cost

$187

CO2

75 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

New York City, NY → LGA 12m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 35m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BFD → Lakewood, NY 62m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $132) $132

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

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

Lakewood, NY BFD — Bradford Regional Airport 41 mi, ~62m drive

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Saves about 4h 4m 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

12h 18m

10h 30m on rail

Total Cost

$66

CO2

19 kg

Route

Lake Shore Limited

Door-to-Door Timeline

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

Boarding 30m

Train ride 630m

Arrival 10m

Erie Amtrak Station → Lakewood, NY 58m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $66) $66

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

Stations

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

To Erie Amtrak Station 38 mi, ~58m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~1/week

+ Spacious seating with legroom and power outlets

+ Walk around freely during the trip

+ Scenic views along the route

+ 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	7h 53m	3h 49m	12h 18m
Total cost (1 person)	$117	$187	$66
Carbon footprint	150 kg CO₂	75 kg CO₂	19 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 Lakewood, NY with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.