Drive or Fly: Upper Darby, PA to Mount 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–PIT. At 303 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

6h 4m

Distance

303.3 mi

Total Cost

$102

CO2

123 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$67

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

30m in the air

Air Distance

254 mi

Total Cost

$185

CO2

65 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Upper Darby, PA → PHL 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 30m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

PIT → Mount Lebanon, PA 20m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $130) $130

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Upper Darby, PA PHL — Philadelphia International Airport 4 mi, ~10m drive

Mount Lebanon, PA PIT — Pittsburgh International Airport 14 mi, ~20m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between PHL and PIT. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 3h 4m 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 24m

7h 24m on rail

Total Cost

$51

CO2

15 kg

Route

Pennsylvanian

Door-to-Door Timeline

Upper Darby, PA → Philadelphia 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 444m

Arrival 10m

Pittsburgh Amtrak Station → Mount Lebanon, PA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $51) $51

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

Stations

From Philadelphia 5 mi, ~10m drive

To Pittsburgh Amtrak Station 7 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~2/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 2 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	6h 4m	3h	8h 24m
Total cost (1 person)	$102	$185	$51
Carbon footprint	123 kg CO₂	65 kg CO₂	15 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 Upper Darby, PA to Mount Lebanon, PA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.