Drive or Fly: Vails Gate, NY to Islip, 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 SWF–ISP. At 100 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 18m

Distance

100.3 mi

Total Cost

$57

CO2

41 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$22

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 29m

8m in the air

Air Distance

67 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

17 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Vails Gate, NY → SWF 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 8m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

ISP → Islip, NY 11m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Vails Gate, NY SWF — New York Stewart International Airport 4 mi, ~10m drive

Islip, NY ISP — Long Island MacArthur Airport 7 mi, ~11m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between SWF and ISP. 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly
Door-to-door time	2h 18m	2h 29m
Total cost (1 person)	$57	$123
Carbon footprint	41 kg CO₂	17 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

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 16, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

100.3 mi 2h 18m

via Palisades Interstate Parkway, SO, US 9W

Shortest (+1 min)

99.7 mi 2h 19m

via SO, NJ 17, I 87

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Vails Gate, NY to Islip, NY with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.