Drive or Fly: Town of Aurora, NY to Tonawanda, 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 BUF–IAG. At 33 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

43m

Distance

33.5 mi

Total Cost

$42

CO2

14 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 35m

3m in the air

Air Distance

23 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

6 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Town of Aurora, NY → BUF 22m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 3m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

IAG → Tonawanda, NY 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

Town of Aurora, NY BUF — Buffalo Niagara International Airport 15 mi, ~22m drive

Tonawanda, NY IAG — Niagara Falls International Airport 7 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between BUF and IAG. 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 27m

13m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

0 kg

Route

Maple Leaf

Door-to-Door Timeline

Town of Aurora, NY → Buffalo Depew Station 19m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 13m

Arrival 10m

Buffalo → Tonawanda, NY 15m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $2) $2

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

Stations

From Buffalo Depew Station 13 mi, ~19m drive

To Buffalo 10 mi, ~15m 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

1h 16m

15m on road

Total Cost

CO2

0 kg

Route

FlixBus N2686

Door-to-Door Timeline

Town of Aurora, NY → Buffalo Niagara International Airport (6BN) 22m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 15m

Arrival 10m

Buffalo (BUF) → Tonawanda, NY 14m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $1) $1

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

Stations

From 6BN — Buffalo Niagara International Airport 14 mi, ~22m drive

To BUF — Buffalo 9 mi, ~14m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~7/week

+ Usually the cheapest option

+ Wi-Fi and power outlets on board

+ No driving fatigue — relax or work en route

+ Much lower carbon footprint than driving or flying

− Limited schedule — about 7 trips per week

− Travel time longer than driving

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train	Bus
Door-to-door time	43m	2h 35m	1h 27m	1h 16m
Total cost (1 person)	$42	$121	$2	$1
Carbon footprint	14 kg CO₂	6 kg CO₂	0 kg CO₂	0 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, FlixBus 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 Town of Aurora, NY to Tonawanda, NY with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.