carsnocean - the drive from EWR to ITH is 4.5 to 5 hours, factor in one stop for bathroom, food/snacks/coffee & fuel - "Waze" your way toward I-80 West, I-380W then I-81N, etc. Most urban traffic should be behind you once past Morristown, NJ - depending on day of week & start time from car rental. Drove this route but with our starting point in NYC last month, left at 6:15 AM on a Sunday & traffic was very light - some highway construction on I-81 (an easy drive but not as scenic ... last drove this 20 years ago, LOL) ... on this popular trucker's route - vehicles moving above the posted speed limit mostly, 70 mph in a few stretches in PA.

On summer weekends, not unusual for parents with teens making pilgrimage trip to see universities and checkout campus & off-campus housing, etc. or even start hauling trailers worth of furnishing on the highway, no matter which way you decided to fly into & aim for the colleges dotted all over the NY landscape. With the limited inventory of hotel rooms, especially on weekends - if you find something, book now & lock it up first while you hunt for a better/free deal.

Otherwise, BUF might be worth considering, especially if your points can be used to book a nonstop - drive is about 3 to 3.5 hours, shorter than EWR for sure but on tolled NYS Thruway, traffic will be buzzing along around 70 mph (just stay with the "pack" to avoid getting singled out & pulled over by the flashing red.) A long, boring drive - especially if you are tired & not fully rested ... on our return trip last month, took us far longer than planned with the ladies in the minivan taking too many restroom stops in a light rain.