Drive or Fly: De Leon Springs, FL to Fort Lauderdale, 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 DAB–FLL. At 246 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

4h 45m

Distance

246.5 mi

Total Cost

$89

CO2

100 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$54

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

3h 3m

26m in the air

Air Distance

220 mi

Total Cost

$184

CO2

56 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

De Leon Springs, FL → DAB 27m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 26m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

FLL → Fort Lauderdale, FL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $129) $129

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

De Leon Springs, FL DAB — Daytona Beach International Airport 18 mi, ~27m drive

Fort Lauderdale, FL FLL — Fort Lauderdale Hollywood International Airport 4 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between DAB and FLL. 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

7h 14m

6h 13m on rail

Total Cost

$43

CO2

12 kg

Route

Silver Meteor

Door-to-Door Timeline

De Leon Springs, FL → Deland 11m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 373m

Arrival 10m

Fort Lauderdale Amtrak Station → Fort Lauderdale, FL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $43) $43

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

Stations

From Deland 7 mi, ~11m drive

To Fort Lauderdale Amtrak Station 2 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~8/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 8 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

6h 55m

5h 55m on road

Total Cost

$24

CO2

13 kg

Route

FlixBus 2431

Door-to-Door Timeline

De Leon Springs, FL → Daytona Beach (4DB) 25m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 355m

Arrival 10m

Ft Lauderdale Broward Park & Ride (FTL6) → Fort Lauderdale, FL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $24) $24

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

Stations

From 4DB — Daytona Beach 17 mi, ~25m drive

To FTL6 — Ft Lauderdale Broward Park & Ride 2 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~7/week

+ Usually the cheapest option

+ Wi-Fi and power outlets on board

+ No driving fatigue — relax or work en route

+ Much lower carbon footprint than driving or flying

− Limited schedule — about 7 trips per week

− Travel time longer than driving

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train	Bus
Door-to-door time	4h 45m	3h 3m	7h 14m	6h 55m
Total cost (1 person)	$89	$184	$43	$24
Carbon footprint	100 kg CO₂	56 kg CO₂	12 kg CO₂	13 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, FlixBus 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 19, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

246.5 mi 4h 44m

via I 95, Florida's Turnpike, FL 44

Alternative (+0 min)

250.6 mi 4h 45m

via I 95, FL 44, US 17

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from De Leon Springs, FL to Fort Lauderdale, FL with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.