Drive or Fly: Jamestown, NY to Utica, 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 BFD–SYR. At 264 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

5h 18m

Distance

264.4 mi

Total Cost

$100

CO2

107 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

4h 27m

26m in the air

Air Distance

215 mi

Total Cost

$184

CO2

55 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Jamestown, NY → BFD 55m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 26m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SYR → Utica, NY 66m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $129) $129

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Jamestown, NY BFD — Bradford Regional Airport 37 mi, ~55m drive

Utica, NY SYR — Syracuse Hancock International Airport 44 mi, ~66m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between BFD and SYR. 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

7h 8m

5h 13m on rail

Total Cost

$51

CO2

15 kg

Route

Lake Shore Limited

Door-to-Door Timeline

Jamestown, NY → Erie Amtrak Station (ERI) 65m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 313m

Arrival 10m

Utica Amtrak Station (UCA) → Utica, NY 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $51) $51

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

Stations

From ERI — Erie Amtrak Station 43 mi, ~65m drive

To UCA — Utica Amtrak Station 1 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~9/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 9 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 18m	4h 27m	7h 8m
Total cost (1 person)	$100	$184	$51
Carbon footprint	107 kg CO₂	55 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

264.4 mi 5h 17m

via I 90, NY 60

Alternative (+49 min)

296.1 mi 6h 7m

via I 86; NY 17, I 90, NY 13

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