Drive or Fly: Hornby, NY to Brooklyn, 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 ELM–JFK. At 263 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

5h 40m

Distance

263 mi

Total Cost

$100

CO2

106 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$65

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 52m

23m in the air

Air Distance

194 mi

Total Cost

$183

CO2

50 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Hornby, NY → ELM 15m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 23m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

JFK → Brooklyn, NY 14m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $128) $128

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Hornby, NY ELM — Elmira Corning Regional Airport 10 mi, ~15m drive

Brooklyn, NY JFK — John F. Kennedy International Airport 9 mi, ~14m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ELM and JFK. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 2h 48m 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 53m

7h 13m on rail

Total Cost

$50

CO2

15 kg

Route

Empire Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

Hornby, NY → Rochester (ROC) 30m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 433m

Arrival 10m

Ny Moynihan Train Hall At Penn Station (NYP) → Brooklyn, NY 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $50) $50

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

Stations

From ROC — Rochester 0 mi, ~30m drive

To NYP — Ny Moynihan Train Hall At Penn Station 0 mi, ~30m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~4/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 4 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 40m	2h 52m	8h 53m
Total cost (1 person)	$100	$183	$50
Carbon footprint	106 kg CO₂	50 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 Oct 23, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

263 mi 5h 40m

via I 86; NY 17, I 80, I 81

Alternative (+24 min)

281.8 mi 6h 4m

via I 86; NY 17, I 81, I 78; US 22

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