Drive or Fly: Poughkeepsie, NY to Utica, 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 SWF–SYR. At 165 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 22m

Distance

165.3 mi

Total Cost

$72

CO2

67 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$37

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 45m

14m in the air

Air Distance

118 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

30 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Poughkeepsie, NY → SWF 25m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 14m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SYR → Utica, NY 66m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

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

Utica, NY SYR — Syracuse Hancock International Airport 44 mi, ~66m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between SWF and SYR. 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

4h 9m

3h 9m on rail

Total Cost

$23

CO2

7 kg

Route

Empire Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

Poughkeepsie, NY → Poughkeepsie Amtrak Station 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 189m

Arrival 10m

Utica Amtrak Station → Utica, NY 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $23) $23

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

Stations

From Poughkeepsie Amtrak Station 1 mi, ~10m drive

To Utica Amtrak Station 1 mi, ~10m 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	3h 22m	3h 45m	4h 9m
Total cost (1 person)	$72	$125	$23
Carbon footprint	67 kg CO₂	30 kg CO₂	7 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.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

165.3 mi 3h 21m

via I 90, I 87, US 9W

Shortest (+6 min)

148.6 mi 3h 27m

via I 90, NY 145, NY 32

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Poughkeepsie, NY to Utica, NY with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.