Drive or Fly: Milton, NH to Manchester, NH?

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 PSM–MHT. At 51 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 16m

Distance

51.6 mi

Total Cost

$46

CO2

21 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$11

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 51m

4m in the air

Air Distance

37 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

9 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Milton, NH → PSM 37m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 4m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MHT → Manchester, NH 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

Milton, NH PSM — Portsmouth International Airport at Pease 24 mi, ~37m drive

Manchester, NH MHT — Manchester-Boston Regional Airport 5 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between PSM and MHT. 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

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

2h 22m

43m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

Downeaster

Door-to-Door Timeline

Milton, NH → Dover 23m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 43m

Arrival 10m

Haverhill Amtrak → Manchester, NH 36m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $6) $6

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

Stations

From Dover 16 mi, ~23m drive

To Haverhill Amtrak 24 mi, ~36m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~46/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

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	1h 16m	2h 51m	2h 22m
Total cost (1 person)	$46	$121	$6
Carbon footprint	21 kg CO₂	9 kg CO₂	2 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.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

51.6 mi 1h 15m

via NH 101, NH 125, NH 16

Shortest (+5 min)

46.8 mi 1h 21m

via NH 16, US 202, NH 101

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Milton, NH to Manchester, NH with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.