Drive or Fly: Keeseville, NY to Manhattan, 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 PBG–LGA. At 289 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

5h 49m

Distance

289 mi

Total Cost

$99

CO2

117 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

2h 56m

31m in the air

Air Distance

258 mi

Total Cost

$185

CO2

66 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Keeseville, NY → PBG 15m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 31m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

LGA → Manhattan, NY 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $130) $130

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Keeseville, NY PBG — Plattsburgh International Airport 10 mi, ~15m drive

Manhattan, NY LGA — LaGuardia Airport 5 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Saves about 2h 53m 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 44m

7h 34m on rail

Total Cost

$52

CO2

15 kg

Route

Ethan Allen Express

Door-to-Door Timeline

Keeseville, NY → Burlington 20m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 454m

Arrival 10m

Ny Moynihan Train Hall At Penn Station → Manhattan, NY 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $52) $52

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

Stations

From Burlington 13 mi, ~20m 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

7h 28m

6h 33m on road

Total Cost

$30

CO2

16 kg

Route

Greyhound US0200

Door-to-Door Timeline

Keeseville, NY → Plattsburgh (PLB6) 20m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 393m

Arrival 10m

New York Port Authority (NYD6) → Manhattan, NY 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $30) $30

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

Stations

From PLB6 — Plattsburgh 13 mi, ~20m drive

To NYD6 — New York Port Authority 2 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~21/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	5h 49m	2h 56m	8h 44m	7h 28m
Total cost (1 person)	$99	$185	$52	$30
Carbon footprint	117 kg CO₂	66 kg CO₂	15 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, 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 Apr 21, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

289 mi 5h 48m

via I 87, NJ 17, NJ 4

Shortest (+23 min)

286.9 mi 6h 12m

via I 87, Taconic State Parkway, NY 9H

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