Drive or Fly: Willsboro, NY to New York City, 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 BTV–LGA. At 288 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

5h 57m

Distance

288.1 mi

Total Cost

$99

CO2

116 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$64

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 3m

30m in the air

Air Distance

254 mi

Total Cost

$185

CO2

65 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Willsboro, NY → BTV 21m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 30m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

LGA → New York City, NY 12m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $130) $130

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Willsboro, NY BTV — Patrick Leahy Burlington International Airport 14 mi, ~21m drive

New York City, NY LGA — LaGuardia Airport 8 mi, ~12m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between BTV and LGA. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 2h 54m compared to driving

+ Less physical fatigue

+ Predictable arrival time

− Airport security and check-in overhead

− No scheduled commercial flights found for this route

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

8h 42m

7h 34m on rail

Total Cost

$52

CO2

15 kg

Route

Ethan Allen Express

Door-to-Door Timeline

Willsboro, NY → Burlington 18m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 454m

Arrival 10m

Ny Moynihan Train Hall At Penn Station → New York City, NY 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $52) $52

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

Stations

From Burlington 12 mi, ~18m drive

To Ny Moynihan Train Hall At Penn Station 3 mi, ~10m 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	5h 57m	3h 3m	8h 42m
Total cost (1 person)	$99	$185	$52
Carbon footprint	116 kg CO₂	65 kg CO₂	15 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 12, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Willsboro, NY to New York City, NY with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.