Drive or Fly: Shirley, NY to Albany, 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 ISP–ALB. At 201 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

4h 15m

Distance

201.2 mi

Total Cost

$80

CO2

81 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$45

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 45m

16m in the air

Air Distance

136 mi

Total Cost

$180

CO2

35 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Shirley, NY → ISP 18m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 16m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

ALB → Albany, NY 11m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Shirley, NY ISP — Long Island MacArthur Airport 12 mi, ~18m drive

Albany, NY ALB — Albany International Airport 7 mi, ~11m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ISP and ALB. 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

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly
Door-to-door time	4h 15m	2h 45m
Total cost (1 person)	$80	$180
Carbon footprint	81 kg CO₂	35 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

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 Shirley, NY to Albany, NY with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.