Drive or Fly: Waltham, MA to Amherst Center, MA?

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 BED–BDL. At 85 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

1h 57m

Distance

85.4 mi

Total Cost

$54

CO2

35 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$19

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 6m

8m in the air

Air Distance

66 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

17 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Waltham, MA → BED 11m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 8m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BDL → Amherst Center, MA 47m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Waltham, MA BED — Laurence G Hanscom Field 7 mi, ~11m drive

Amherst Center, MA BDL — Bradley International Airport 31 mi, ~47m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between BED and BDL. 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	1h 57m	3h 6m
Total cost (1 person)	$54	$123
Carbon footprint	35 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 12, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Waltham, MA to Amherst Center, MA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.