Drive or Fly: Southold, NY to Amherst, 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 HVN–BUF. At 464 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

9h 56m

Distance

464.7 mi

Total Cost

$138

CO2

188 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$103

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

− Driver fatigue on longer stretches

− Wear and tear on vehicle

− Fuel price fluctuations

Plan the drive

Fly

Door to Door

3h 33m

42m in the air

Air Distance

353 mi

Total Cost

$189

CO2

90 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Southold, NY → HVN 41m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 42m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BUF → Amherst, NY 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $134) $134

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Southold, NY HVN — Tweed New Haven Airport 28 mi, ~41m drive

Amherst, NY BUF — Buffalo Niagara International Airport 4 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between HVN and BUF. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 6h 23m compared to driving

+ 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	9h 56m	3h 33m
Total cost (1 person)	$138	$189
Carbon footprint	188 kg CO₂	90 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 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

464.7 mi 9h 55m

via I 90, I 81, I 80

Alternative (+3 min)

473.5 mi 9h 59m

via I 86; NY 17, I 80, I 81

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