Drive or Fly: Wakefield, NH to East Concord, NH?

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 PSM–MHT. At 54 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:
Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

1h 12m

Distance

54.9 mi

Total Cost

$47

CO2

22 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$12
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 30m

4m in the air

Air Distance

34 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

9 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Wakefield, NH → PSM 53m
Check-in & Security 90m
Flight 4m
Arrival & Baggage 30m
MHT → East Concord, NH 33m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

Wakefield, NH PSM — Portsmouth International Airport at Pease 35 mi, ~53m drive
East Concord, NH MHT — Manchester-Boston Regional Airport 22 mi, ~33m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between PSM and MHT. 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 15m

8m on rail

Total Cost

$1

CO2

0 kg

Route

Downeaster

Door-to-Door Timeline

Wakefield, NH → Dover 40m
Boarding 30m
Train ride 8m
Arrival 10m
Durham → East Concord, NH 47m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $1) $1

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

Stations

From Dover 27 mi, ~40m drive
To Durham 31 mi, ~47m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~46/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 12m 3h 30m 2h 15m
Total cost (1 person) $47 $121 $1
Carbon footprint 22 kg CO2 9 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 — 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 Wakefield, NH to East Concord, NH with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.