Drive or Fly: Philadelphia, PA to Trafford, 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–LBE. At 288 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

5h 30m

Distance

288.3 mi

Total Cost

$106

CO2

116 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$71

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 9m

29m in the air

Air Distance

244 mi

Total Cost

$185

CO2

62 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Philadelphia, PA → PHL 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 29m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

LBE → Trafford, PA 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $130) $130

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

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

Trafford, PA LBE — Arnold Palmer Regional Airport 20 mi, ~30m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between PHL and LBE. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 2h 21m 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 8m

6h 28m on rail

Total Cost

$46

CO2

17 kg

Route

Pennsylvanian

Door-to-Door Timeline

Philadelphia, PA → Philadelphia (PHL) 30m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 388m

Arrival 10m

Greensburg Amtrak (GNB) → Trafford, PA 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $46) $46

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

Stations

From PHL — Philadelphia 0 mi, ~30m drive

To GNB — Greensburg Amtrak 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

9h 40m

8h 15m on road

Total Cost

$26

CO2

17 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

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

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 495m

Arrival 10m

Greensburg Westmoreland Transit Ctr (GSG6) → Trafford, PA 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $26) $26

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

Stations

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

To GSG6 — Greensburg Westmoreland Transit Ctr 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	5h 30m	3h 9m	8h 8m	9h 40m
Total cost (1 person)	$106	$185	$46	$26
Carbon footprint	116 kg CO₂	62 kg CO₂	17 kg CO₂	17 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 24, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

288.3 mi 5h 29m

via I 76; PATP, I 76; US 30, PA 993

Alternative (+45 min)

316 mi 6h 14m

via I 76; PATP, I 78; US 22, I 476; PATP

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