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Ask anyone in the Lehigh Valley how they book flights and you’ll hear two camps. One group swears by Lehigh Valley International (ABE) because it’s 15 minutes from home and you can walk from the parking lot to the gate. The other group checks Newark fares first, every time, and is happy to spend 90 minutes on I-78 if it saves real money.
Both have a point. Here’s how to figure out which one makes sense for your next trip.
Why Newark fares are often lower
ABE is a small airport with a short list of routes. Most flights go to a handful of airline hubs, plus a few leisure routes to places like Florida, mostly on Allegiant. If your destination isn’t on that list, you’re connecting, and you’re paying for it.
Newark is a different animal. It’s one of United’s biggest hubs, and plenty of other airlines fly there too. More flights and more competition usually mean lower fares and far more nonstop options, especially to the West Coast, overseas, and anywhere a little off the beaten path.
On a popular route, the difference can be anywhere from nothing at all to $150 or more per ticket. For a solo traveler that may not justify the drive. For a family of four, it often does.
What the drive actually costs
From Allentown, Newark is about 80 miles down I-78, which usually means 75 to 90 minutes if traffic cooperates. Here’s what that trip really costs you:
- A round trip of roughly 160 miles is well under a tank for most cars.
- The I-78 bridge over the Delaware only charges drivers heading into Pennsylvania, so you pay on the way home, not on the way out. I-78 itself is toll-free through New Jersey.
- This is the biggest piece, and it varies more than anything else.
- Three hours of round-trip driving is real, and it’s worth counting.
Parking: where the savings are won or lost
Plenty of Lehigh Valley travelers drive to Newark, park in a terminal garage, and come home wondering why they bothered. On-airport parking at EWR is expensive, and on a week-long trip it can eat most of what you saved on the fare.
Off-airport lots are where the math starts to work. They sit a few minutes from the terminals, charge much less per day, and run shuttles back and forth.
ARB Parking Newark is a good example. It’s a valet lot near the airport, so after a long drive you just hand over your keys and catch the shuttle to your terminal. No hunting for a space, no dragging bags across a lot. You can pick covered or uncovered parking, and the car is ready when you get back. It’s worth reading the latest ARB Parking Newark reviews before you book, mostly to get a feel for shuttle timing and how smooth the pickup is.
A simple example
Picture a family of four flying to Denver for a week. If Newark fares are $120 cheaper per person than ABE, that’s $480 saved. Take away a week at an off-airport lot like ARB Parking Newark Airport, plus the bridge toll and gas, and they’re usually still well ahead. They also get a nonstop instead of a connection, which with kids is worth a lot on its own.
Now picture a solo traveler on a two-day work trip with a $40 fare difference. Newark makes no sense there. Drive to ABE, park and go.
When ABE is the better call
Flying from Allentown still wins in plenty of cases:
- Your destination is a nonstop from ABE.
- The fare gap is small.
- It’s a short trip and your time matters more than the money.
- It’s winter and you’d rather not risk I-78 in a snowstorm before an early flight.
Tips if you choose Newark
- Give yourself extra time. I-78 can slow to a crawl as you get closer to Newark, especially on weekday mornings.
- Book parking when you book your flight. Online rates are usually better, and holiday weeks fill up.
- For a 6 a.m. departure, decide honestly whether you’d rather leave home at 3 a.m. or spend the night near the airport.
The verdict
Driving to Newark isn’t automatically cheaper than flying from Allentown, but it often is for families, longer trips and routes ABE doesn’t fly nonstop. The key is parking smart. Skip the terminal garages, book an off-airport valet lot ahead of time, and the money you saved on the fare stays in your pocket.
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