Drive or Fly: North Tonawanda, NY to Washington Heights, 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 IAG–LGA. At 379 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

7h 51m

Distance

379.1 mi

Total Cost

$119

CO2

153 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$84

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 55m

35m in the air

Air Distance

295 mi

Total Cost

$187

CO2

75 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

North Tonawanda, NY → IAG 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 35m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

LGA → Washington Heights, NY 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $132) $132

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

North Tonawanda, NY IAG — Niagara Falls International Airport 6 mi, ~10m drive

Washington Heights, NY LGA — LaGuardia Airport 6 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Saves about 4h 56m 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

9h 30m

8h 24m on rail

Total Cost

$61

CO2

18 kg

Route

Empire Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

North Tonawanda, NY → Niagara Falls Amtrak Station 16m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 504m

Arrival 10m

Yonkers Amtrak Station → Washington Heights, NY 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $61) $61

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

Stations

From Niagara Falls Amtrak Station 11 mi, ~16m drive

To Yonkers Amtrak Station 6 mi, ~10m 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 51m	2h 55m	9h 30m
Total cost (1 person)	$119	$187	$61
Carbon footprint	153 kg CO₂	75 kg CO₂	18 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 North Tonawanda, NY to Washington Heights, NY with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.