Drive or Fly: Paterson, NJ to Atlantic City, NJ?

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 TEB–ACY. At 130 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 43m

Distance

130.9 mi

Total Cost

$64

CO2

53 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$29

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 40m

13m in the air

Air Distance

108 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

28 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Paterson, NJ → TEB 11m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 13m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

ACY → Atlantic City, NJ 16m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

Paterson, NJ TEB — Teterboro Airport 7 mi, ~11m drive

Atlantic City, NJ ACY — Atlantic City International Airport 10 mi, ~16m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between TEB and ACY. 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

3h 14m

50m on rail

Total Cost

$12

CO2

4 kg

Route

Keystone Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

Paterson, NJ → Newark 19m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 50m

Arrival 10m

Cornwells Heights Amtrak → Atlantic City, NJ 85m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $12) $12

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

Stations

From Newark 13 mi, ~19m drive

To Cornwells Heights Amtrak 56 mi, ~85m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~10/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 10 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	2h 43m	2h 40m	3h 14m
Total cost (1 person)	$64	$124	$12
Carbon footprint	53 kg CO₂	28 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 18, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

130.9 mi 2h 42m

via GSP, ACE, Garden State Parkway

Alternative (+5 min)

133.4 mi 2h 47m

via GSP, NJ 21, I 95; NJTP

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Paterson, NJ to Atlantic City, NJ with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.