Drive or Fly: Upper Darby, PA to Mount Union, 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–AOO. At 181 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 50m

Distance

181.6 mi

Total Cost

$75

CO2

73 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$40

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 3m

17m in the air

Air Distance

141 mi

Total Cost

$126

CO2

36 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Upper Darby, PA → PHL 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 17m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

AOO → Mount Union, PA 36m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Airports

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

Mount Union, PA AOO — Altoona Blair County Airport 24 mi, ~36m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between PHL and AOO. 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

4h 45m

3h 41m on rail

Total Cost

$31

CO2

9 kg

Route

Pennsylvanian

Door-to-Door Timeline

Upper Darby, PA → Philadelphia 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 221m

Arrival 10m

Huntingdon Amtrak Station → Mount Union, PA 14m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $31) $31

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

Stations

From Philadelphia 5 mi, ~10m drive

To Huntingdon Amtrak Station 10 mi, ~14m 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	3h 50m	3h 3m	4h 45m
Total cost (1 person)	$75	$126	$31
Carbon footprint	73 kg CO₂	36 kg CO₂	9 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 18, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Upper Darby, PA to Mount Union, PA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.