Not really. Flights like that can be pretty reasonable, since they’re commuter flights.

And depending on the time, 4 hours in a bus (on the east coast, the North East no less, where congestion is brutal) could consume much of the time available.

I wouldn’t fly for this, but it’s understandable, especially if getting to the airport is trivial. It really depends on where said friend lives and time to the airport etc.

Unless you’ve driven through that area, you really have no idea what it’s like. I’ve done it many times for work, and you can’t pay me to get on those roads today, let alone in a bus. It’s like LA or the Bay Area in California, so congested that rush “hour” is all day.