Drive or Fly: Suffern, 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 TEB–BUF. At 349 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:
Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

7h 21m

Distance

349.7 mi

Total Cost

$113

CO2

141 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$78
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 13m

33m in the air

Air Distance

272 mi

Total Cost

$186

CO2

69 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Suffern, NY → TEB 28m
Check-in & Security 90m
Flight 33m
Arrival & Baggage 30m
BUF → Buffalo, NY 12m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $131) $131
Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Suffern, NY TEB — Teterboro Airport 19 mi, ~28m drive
Buffalo, NY BUF — Buffalo Niagara International Airport 8 mi, ~12m drive

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Saves about 4h 8m 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

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

8h 41m

7h 29m on rail

Total Cost

$56

CO2

16 kg

Route

Maple Leaf

Door-to-Door Timeline

Suffern, NY → Croton-Harmon Amtrak Station 22m
Boarding 30m
Train ride 449m
Arrival 10m
Buffalo → Buffalo, NY 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $56) $56

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

Stations

From Croton-Harmon Amtrak Station 15 mi, ~22m 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

At a Glance

Drive Fly Train
Door-to-door time 7h 21m 3h 13m 8h 41m
Total cost (1 person) $113 $186 $56
Carbon footprint 141 kg CO2 69 kg CO2 16 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 Suffern, NY to Buffalo, NY with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.