Drive or Fly: Smithtown, NY to Sea Cliff, 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 29 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

45m

Distance

29.6 mi

Total Cost

$42

CO2

12 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$7

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 32m

3m in the air

Air Distance

23 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

6 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Smithtown, NY → ISP 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 3m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

LGA → Sea Cliff, NY 19m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

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

Sea Cliff, NY LGA — LaGuardia Airport 13 mi, ~19m 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

1h 47m

21m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

Northeast Regional

Door-to-Door Timeline

Smithtown, NY → Stamford Amtrak Station 33m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 21m

Arrival 10m

New Rochelle Amtrak Station → Sea Cliff, NY 13m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $3) $3

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

Stations

From Stamford Amtrak Station 22 mi, ~33m drive

To New Rochelle Amtrak Station 8 mi, ~13m 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	45m	2h 32m	1h 47m
Total cost (1 person)	$42	$121	$3
Carbon footprint	12 kg CO₂	6 kg CO₂	1 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 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

29.6 mi 44m

via N, NY 106; NY 107, NY 25

Shortest (+2 min)

29 mi 47m

via NY 25A

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