Drive or Fly: Smithtown, NY to Elmhurst, 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–LGA. At 41 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

59m

Distance

41.2 mi

Total Cost

$44

CO2

17 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$9

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 24m

4m in the air

Air Distance

36 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

9 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Smithtown, NY → ISP 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 4m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

LGA → Elmhurst, NY 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

Smithtown, NY ISP — Long Island MacArthur Airport 7 mi, ~10m drive

Elmhurst, NY LGA — LaGuardia Airport 3 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ISP and LGA. 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

2h 21m

58m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

Northeast Regional

Door-to-Door Timeline

Smithtown, NY → Stamford Amtrak Station 33m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 58m

Arrival 10m

Ny Moynihan Train Hall At Penn Station → Elmhurst, NY 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $6) $6

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

Stations

From Stamford Amtrak Station 22 mi, ~33m drive

To Ny Moynihan Train Hall At Penn Station 6 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~100/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

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	59m	2h 24m	2h 21m
Total cost (1 person)	$44	$121	$6
Carbon footprint	17 kg CO₂	9 kg CO₂	2 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 12, 2026.

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