Drive or Fly: Washington, VT to South Burlington, VT?

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 LEB–BTV. At 52 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 11m

Distance

52 mi

Total Cost

$46

CO2

21 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$11

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

5m in the air

Air Distance

44 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

11 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Washington, VT → LEB 51m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 5m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BTV → South Burlington, VT 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

Washington, VT LEB — Lebanon Municipal Airport 34 mi, ~51m drive

South Burlington, VT BTV — Patrick Leahy Burlington International Airport 1 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between LEB and BTV. 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

1h 39m

45m on road

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

Greyhound US0260

Door-to-Door Timeline

Washington, VT → Montpelier Transit Center (MPE6) 19m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 45m

Arrival 10m

Burlington Downtown Transit Ctr (BT6) → South Burlington, VT 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $4) $4

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

Stations

From MPE6 — Montpelier Transit Center 13 mi, ~19m drive

To BT6 — Burlington Downtown Transit Ctr 2 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~21/week

+ Usually the cheapest option

+ Wi-Fi and power outlets on board

+ No driving fatigue — relax or work en route

+ Much lower carbon footprint than driving or flying

− Travel time longer than driving

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Bus
Door-to-door time	1h 11m	3h 6m	1h 39m
Total cost (1 person)	$46	$122	$4
Carbon footprint	21 kg CO₂	11 kg CO₂	2 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: FlixBus 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 Washington, VT to South Burlington, VT with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.