Drive or Fly: Colton, 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 MSS–LGA. At 336 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

7h 16m

Distance

336.6 mi

Total Cost

$109

CO2

136 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$74

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 24m

32m in the air

Air Distance

269 mi

Total Cost

$186

CO2

69 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Colton, NY → MSS 40m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 32m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

LGA → New York City, NY 12m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $131) $131

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Colton, NY MSS — Massena International Airport Richards Field 27 mi, ~40m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Saves about 3h 52m 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

10h 11m

7h 30m on rail

Total Cost

$55

CO2

16 kg

Route

Adirondack

Door-to-Door Timeline

Colton, NY → Plattsburgh Amtrak Station 111m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 450m

Arrival 10m

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

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $55) $55

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

Stations

From Plattsburgh Amtrak Station 74 mi, ~111m 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	7h 16m	3h 24m	10h 11m
Total cost (1 person)	$109	$186	$55
Carbon footprint	136 kg CO₂	69 kg CO₂	16 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 21, 2026.

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