Drive or Fly: Buffalo, NY to Conklin, 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 BUF–BGM. At 208 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

4h 26m

Distance

208.3 mi

Total Cost

$66

CO2

84 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$31

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

2h 55m

20m in the air

Air Distance

167 mi

Total Cost

$182

CO2

43 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Buffalo, NY → BUF 12m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 20m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BGM → Conklin, NY 23m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $127) $127

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Buffalo, NY BUF — Buffalo Niagara International Airport 8 mi, ~12m drive

Conklin, NY BGM — Greater Binghamton/Edwin A Link field 15 mi, ~23m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between BUF 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

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

4h 2m

2h 22m on rail

Total Cost

$27

CO2

12 kg

Route

Maple Leaf

Door-to-Door Timeline

Buffalo, NY → Buffalo (BFX) 30m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 142m

Arrival 10m

Syracuse Regional Transportation Center (SYR) → Conklin, NY 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $27) $27

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

Stations

From BFX — Buffalo 0 mi, ~30m drive

To SYR — Syracuse Regional Transportation Center 0 mi, ~30m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~2/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 2 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

6h 16m

4h 51m on road

Total Cost

$18

CO2

12 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Buffalo, NY → Buffalo (BUF) 30m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 291m

Arrival 10m

Binghamton (BGH6) → Conklin, NY 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $18) $18

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

Stations

From BUF — Buffalo 0 mi, ~30m drive

To BGH6 — Binghamton 0 mi, ~30m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~28/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	Train	Bus
Door-to-door time	4h 26m	2h 55m	4h 2m	6h 16m
Total cost (1 person)	$66	$182	$27	$18
Carbon footprint	84 kg CO₂	43 kg CO₂	12 kg CO₂	12 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, 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 Oct 20, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

208.3 mi 4h 25m

via I 86, I 390, US 20A

Alternative (+5 min)

211.9 mi 4h 31m

via I 90, I 81, NY 41

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