Skip to main content
US Trip Planner Logo
US Trip Planner

Drive or Fly: Port Jefferson, NY to Buffalo, NY?

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 ISP–BUF. At 433 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:
Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

9h 10m

Distance

433.4 mi

Total Cost

$127

CO2

175 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$92
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
− Driver fatigue on longer stretches
− Wear and tear on vehicle
− Fuel price fluctuations
Plan the drive

Fly

Door to Door

3h 7m

39m in the air

Air Distance

327 mi

Total Cost

$188

CO2

83 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Port Jefferson, NY → ISP 16m
Check-in & Security 90m
Flight 39m
Arrival & Baggage 30m
BUF → Buffalo, NY 12m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $133) $133
Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Port Jefferson, NY ISP — Long Island MacArthur Airport 11 mi, ~16m drive
Buffalo, NY BUF — Buffalo Niagara International Airport 8 mi, ~12m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ISP and BUF. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 6h 3m 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

At a Glance

Drive Fly
Door-to-door time 9h 10m 3h 7m
Total cost (1 person) $127 $188
Carbon footprint 175 kg CO2 83 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
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 26, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest
433.4 mi 9h 9m

via I 86; NY 17, I 80, I 81

Alternative (+8 min)
435 mi 9h 17m

via I 90, I 80, I 81

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Port Jefferson, NY to Buffalo, NY with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.