Drive or Fly: Meadville, PA to Penn Hills, PA?

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 ERI–PIT. At 96 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 56m

Distance

96.5 mi

Total Cost

$56

CO2

39 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$21

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 27m

10m in the air

Air Distance

80 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

21 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Meadville, PA → ERI 46m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 10m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

PIT → Penn Hills, PA 31m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Meadville, PA ERI — Erie International Tom Ridge Field 31 mi, ~46m drive

Penn Hills, PA PIT — Pittsburgh International Airport 21 mi, ~31m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ERI and PIT. 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

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

3h 8m

2h 20m on road

Total Cost

CO2

5 kg

Route

Greyhound US0440s

Door-to-Door Timeline

Meadville, PA → Meadville (Quick Mart) (MDV6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 140m

Arrival 10m

Pittsburgh Intermodal Station (PGH6) → Penn Hills, PA 13m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $9) $9

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

Stations

From MDV6 — Meadville (Quick Mart) 0 mi, ~10m drive

To PGH6 — Pittsburgh Intermodal Station 9 mi, ~13m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~7/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

− Limited schedule — about 7 trips per week

− Travel time longer than driving

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Bus
Door-to-door time	1h 56m	3h 27m	3h 8m
Total cost (1 person)	$56	$123	$9
Carbon footprint	39 kg CO₂	21 kg CO₂	5 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: 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 19, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

96.5 mi 1h 55m

via I 79, I 76; PATP

Alternative (+22 min)

110.7 mi 2h 18m

via I 76; PATP, I 79, I 376 Toll

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Meadville, PA to Penn Hills, PA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.