Drive or Fly: Plainfield, NH to Town of Sunapee, 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 LEB–LEB. At 31 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

49m

Distance

31.3 mi

Total Cost

$42

CO2

13 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$7

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 41m

2m in the air

Air Distance

17 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

4 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Plainfield, NH → LEB 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 2m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

LEB → Town of Sunapee, NH 29m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

Plainfield, NH LEB — Lebanon Municipal Airport 7 mi, ~10m drive

Town of Sunapee, NH LEB — Lebanon Municipal Airport 19 mi, ~29m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between LEB and LEB. 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

1h 22m

10m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

0 kg

Route

Vermonter

Door-to-Door Timeline

Plainfield, NH → Windsor-Mt. Ascutney Amtrak 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 10m

Arrival 10m

Claremont Amtrak → Town of Sunapee, NH 22m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $2) $2

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

Stations

From Windsor-Mt. Ascutney Amtrak 4 mi, ~10m drive

To Claremont Amtrak 15 mi, ~22m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~9/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 9 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	49m	2h 41m	1h 22m
Total cost (1 person)	$42	$121	$2
Carbon footprint	13 kg CO₂	4 kg CO₂	0 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 Jun 3, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

31.3 mi 49m

via NH 12A, US 5; VT 12, NH 11; NH 103

Alternative (+1 min)

34.9 mi 50m

via I 89, NH 12A

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Plainfield, NH to Town of Sunapee, NH with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.