Drive or Fly: Whitehall, PA to Upper Darby, 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 MDT–PHL. At 143 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 2m

Distance

143.8 mi

Total Cost

$67

CO2

58 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$32

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

12m in the air

Air Distance

98 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

25 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Whitehall, PA → MDT 50m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 12m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

PHL → Upper Darby, PA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

Whitehall, PA MDT — Harrisburg International Airport 33 mi, ~50m drive

Upper Darby, PA PHL — Philadelphia International Airport 4 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MDT and PHL. 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

3h 18m

1h 37m on rail

Total Cost

$17

CO2

5 kg

Route

Keystone Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

Whitehall, PA → Middletown 51m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 97m

Arrival 10m

Philadelphia → Upper Darby, PA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $17) $17

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

Stations

From Middletown 34 mi, ~51m drive

To Philadelphia 5 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~100/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	3h 2m	3h 12m	3h 18m
Total cost (1 person)	$67	$124	$17
Carbon footprint	58 kg CO₂	25 kg CO₂	5 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

143.8 mi 3h 2m

via I 76; PATP, US 15, I 476

Shortest (+7 min)

124.6 mi 3h 9m

via I 95, I 495, MD 23

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Whitehall, PA to Upper Darby, PA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.