Drive or Fly: Savannah, NY to Buffalo, 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 SYR–BUF. At 123 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

2h 5m

Distance

123.1 mi

Total Cost

$62

CO2

50 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$27

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 15m

13m in the air

Air Distance

108 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

27 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Savannah, NY → SYR 50m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 13m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BUF → Buffalo, NY 12m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

Savannah, NY SYR — Syracuse Hancock International Airport 33 mi, ~50m drive

Buffalo, NY BUF — Buffalo Niagara International Airport 8 mi, ~12m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between SYR and BUF. 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 10m

2h 35m on rail

Total Cost

$27

CO2

8 kg

Route

Maple Leaf

Door-to-Door Timeline

Savannah, NY → Syracuse Regional Transportation Center 45m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 155m

Arrival 10m

Buffalo → Buffalo, NY 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $27) $27

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

Stations

From Syracuse Regional Transportation Center 30 mi, ~45m drive

To Buffalo 1 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~1/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 1 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

4h 23m

3h 3m on road

Total Cost

$15

CO2

8 kg

Route

FlixBus 2686

Door-to-Door Timeline

Savannah, NY → Syracuse Bus Station (SYR) 45m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 183m

Arrival 10m

Buffalo (BUF) → Buffalo, NY 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $15) $15

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

Stations

From SYR — Syracuse Bus Station 30 mi, ~45m drive

To BUF — Buffalo 0 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~26/week

+ Usually the cheapest option

+ Wi-Fi and power outlets on board

+ No driving fatigue — relax or work en route

+ Much lower carbon footprint than driving or flying

− Travel time longer than driving

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train	Bus
Door-to-door time	2h 5m	3h 15m	4h 10m	4h 23m
Total cost (1 person)	$62	$124	$27	$15
Carbon footprint	50 kg CO₂	27 kg CO₂	8 kg CO₂	8 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, FlixBus 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 Savannah, NY to Buffalo, NY with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.