Drive or Fly: New York City, NY to New Paltz, 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–SWF. At 82 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

1h 47m

Distance

82.5 mi

Total Cost

$50

CO2

33 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$15

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

2h 46m

9m in the air

Air Distance

72 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

18 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

New York City, NY → LGA 12m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 9m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SWF → New Paltz, NY 25m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

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

New Paltz, NY SWF — New York Stewart International Airport 17 mi, ~25m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between LGA and SWF. 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

2h 27m

1h 25m on rail

Total Cost

$13

CO2

4 kg

Route

Empire Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

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

Boarding 30m

Train ride 85m

Arrival 10m

Poughkeepsie Amtrak Station → New Paltz, NY 12m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $13) $13

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

Stations

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

To Poughkeepsie Amtrak Station 8 mi, ~12m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~12/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 12 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	1h 47m	2h 46m	2h 27m
Total cost (1 person)	$50	$123	$13
Carbon footprint	33 kg CO₂	18 kg CO₂	4 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 New Paltz, NY with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.