Drive or Fly: Philadelphia, PA to Oil City, 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 PHL–JST. At 246 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

4h 40m

Distance

246.3 mi

Total Cost

$95

CO2

100 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$60

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 50m

22m in the air

Air Distance

186 mi

Total Cost

$182

CO2

47 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Philadelphia, PA → PHL 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 22m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

JST → Oil City, PA 18m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $127) $127

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Philadelphia, PA PHL — Philadelphia International Airport 7 mi, ~10m drive

Oil City, PA JST — John Murtha Johnstown Cambria County Airport 12 mi, ~18m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between PHL and JST. 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

6h 13m

4h 33m on rail

Total Cost

$35

CO2

14 kg

Route

Pennsylvanian

Door-to-Door Timeline

Philadelphia, PA → Philadelphia (PHL) 30m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 273m

Arrival 10m

Altoona Amtrak Station (ALT) → Oil City, PA 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $35) $35

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

Stations

From PHL — Philadelphia 0 mi, ~30m drive

To ALT — Altoona Amtrak 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

7h 35m

6h 10m on road

Total Cost

$21

CO2

14 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Philadelphia, PA → Philadelphia Bus Station (PHL6) 30m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 370m

Arrival 10m

Ebensburg (A-Z Travel Agency) (ENB6) → Oil City, PA 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $21) $21

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

Stations

From PHL6 — Philadelphia Bus Station 0 mi, ~30m drive

To ENB6 — Ebensburg (A-Z Travel Agency) 0 mi, ~30m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~9/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 9 trips per week

− 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	4h 40m	2h 50m	6h 13m	7h 35m
Total cost (1 person)	$95	$182	$35	$21
Carbon footprint	100 kg CO₂	47 kg CO₂	14 kg CO₂	14 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 Oct 17, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Philadelphia, PA to Oil City, PA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.