Drive or Fly: West Hazleton, PA to Harrisburg, PA?

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 AVP–MDT. At 80 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 39m

Distance

80.7 mi

Total Cost

$53

CO2

33 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$18

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

West Hazleton, PA → AVP 45m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 8m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MDT → Harrisburg, PA 13m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

West Hazleton, PA AVP — Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport 30 mi, ~45m drive

Harrisburg, PA MDT — Harrisburg International Airport 9 mi, ~13m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between AVP and MDT. 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 53m

26m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

Keystone Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

West Hazleton, PA → Mount Joy Amtrak 97m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 26m

Arrival 10m

Harrisburg → Harrisburg, PA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $4) $4

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

Stations

From Mount Joy Amtrak 64 mi, ~97m drive

To Harrisburg 1 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~93/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 39m	3h 6m	2h 53m
Total cost (1 person)	$53	$123	$4
Carbon footprint	33 kg CO₂	17 kg CO₂	1 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 18, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

80.7 mi 1h 39m

via I 81

Alternative (+11 min)

83 mi 1h 50m

via I 81, I 78, Pine Grove Road

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from West Hazleton, PA to Harrisburg, PA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.