Drive or Fly: Coral Springs, FL to Lakeland Highlands, FL?

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 FLL–LAL. At 202 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

4h 5m

Distance

202.7 mi

Total Cost

$80

CO2

82 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$45

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 52m

19m in the air

Air Distance

156 mi

Total Cost

$181

CO2

40 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Coral Springs, FL → FLL 23m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 19m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

LAL → Lakeland Highlands, FL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Coral Springs, FL FLL — Fort Lauderdale Hollywood International Airport 16 mi, ~23m drive

Lakeland Highlands, FL LAL — Lakeland Linder International Airport 5 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between FLL and LAL. 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

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

6h 28m

5h 23m on rail

Total Cost

$33

CO2

10 kg

Route

Floridian

Door-to-Door Timeline

Coral Springs, FL → Deerfield Beach Amtrak Station 15m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 323m

Arrival 10m

Lakeland Amtrak Station → Lakeland Highlands, FL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $33) $33

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

Stations

From Deerfield Beach Amtrak Station 10 mi, ~15m drive

To Lakeland Amtrak Station 6 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~1/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 1 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	4h 5m	2h 52m	6h 28m
Total cost (1 person)	$80	$181	$33
Carbon footprint	82 kg CO₂	40 kg CO₂	10 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 Apr 21, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

202.7 mi 4h 4m

via Florida's Turnpike, FL 60, CR 540A

Alternative (+19 min)

205.7 mi 4h 24m

via US 27, US 27; FL 80, FL 60

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Coral Springs, FL to Lakeland Highlands, FL with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.