Drive or Fly: Washington Heights, NY to Sidney, 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 LGA–BGM. At 168 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 33m

Distance

168 mi

Total Cost

$72

CO2

68 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$37

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 12m

15m in the air

Air Distance

126 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

32 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Washington Heights, NY → LGA 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 15m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BGM → Sidney, NY 47m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

Washington Heights, NY LGA — LaGuardia Airport 6 mi, ~10m drive

Sidney, NY BGM — Greater Binghamton/Edwin A Link field 31 mi, ~47m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between LGA and BGM. 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

6h 19m

4h 6m on rail

Total Cost

$33

CO2

10 kg

Route

Empire Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

Washington Heights, NY → Yonkers Amtrak Station 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 246m

Arrival 10m

Utica Amtrak Station → Sidney, NY 83m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $33) $33

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

Stations

From Yonkers Amtrak Station 6 mi, ~10m drive

To Utica Amtrak Station 55 mi, ~83m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~1/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 1 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 33m	3h 12m	6h 19m
Total cost (1 person)	$72	$125	$33
Carbon footprint	68 kg CO₂	32 kg CO₂	10 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 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

168 mi 3h 32m

via NY 17, NY 8; NY 10, NJ 17

Alternative (+33 min)

170.7 mi 4h 5m

via NY 97, NJ 23, NY 8; NY 10

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Washington Heights, NY to Sidney, NY with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.