Drive or Fly: Upland, PA to South Lebanon, PA?

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 PHL–LNS. At 78 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:
Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

1h 49m

Distance

78.8 mi

Total Cost

$53

CO2

32 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$18
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 42m

8m in the air

Air Distance

63 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

16 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Upland, PA → PHL 11m
Check-in & Security 90m
Flight 8m
Arrival & Baggage 30m
LNS → South Lebanon, PA 23m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Upland, PA PHL — Philadelphia International Airport 8 mi, ~11m drive
South Lebanon, PA LNS — Lancaster Airport 15 mi, ~23m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between PHL and LNS. 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 33m

1h 11m on rail

Total Cost

$13

CO2

4 kg

Route

Keystone Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

Upland, PA → Ardmore Amtrak Station 18m
Boarding 30m
Train ride 71m
Arrival 10m
Mount Joy Amtrak → South Lebanon, PA 24m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $13) $13

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

Stations

From Ardmore Amtrak Station 12 mi, ~18m drive
To Mount Joy Amtrak 16 mi, ~24m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~68/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 1h 49m 2h 42m 2h 33m
Total cost (1 person) $53 $123 $13
Carbon footprint 32 kg CO2 16 kg CO2 4 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 13, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Upland, PA to South Lebanon, PA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.