Drive or Fly: Fort Lauderdale, FL to Jacksonville, FL?

Side-by-side comparison of driving versus flying for this route. Costs, time, and trade-offs at a glance.

Driving wins

Medium

Short enough to drive comfortably in a day. Airport overhead makes flying slower door-to-door. Available flights require a connection, adding time and cost.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

Distance

318.5 mi

Total Cost

$95

CO2

129 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$60

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 4m

37m in the air

Air Distance

305 mi

Total Cost

$187

CO2

78 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Fort Lauderdale, FL → FLL 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 37m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

JAX → Jacksonville, FL 17m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $132) $132

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

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

Jacksonville, FL JAX — Jacksonville International Airport 11 mi, ~17m drive

Flight Data

Service

Connecting only

On-Time

90.9%

Cancellation

9.1%

+ Saves about 2h 56m compared to driving

+ Less physical fatigue

+ Predictable arrival time

− Airport security and check-in overhead

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

9h 46m

8h 6m on rail

Total Cost

$62

CO2

18 kg

Route

Silver Meteor

Door-to-Door Timeline

Fort Lauderdale, FL → Fort Lauderdale Amtrak Station (FTL) 30m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 486m

Arrival 10m

Jacksonville (JAX) → Jacksonville, FL 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $62) $62

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

Stations

From FTL — Fort Lauderdale Amtrak Station 0 mi, ~30m drive

To JAX — Jacksonville 0 mi, ~30m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~16/week

+ Spacious seating with legroom and power outlets

+ Walk around freely during the trip

+ Scenic views along the route

+ No driving fatigue — relax or work en route

+ Much lower carbon footprint than driving or flying

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

9h 18m

7h 53m on road

Total Cost

$34

CO2

18 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Fort Lauderdale, FL → Ft Lauderdale Broward Park & Ride (FTL6) 30m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 473m

Arrival 10m

Jacksonville (Downtown) (JAX6) → Jacksonville, FL 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $34) $34

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

Stations

From FTL6 — Ft Lauderdale Broward Park & Ride 0 mi, ~30m drive

To JAX6 — Jacksonville (Downtown) 0 mi, ~30m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~16/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

− 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	6h	3h 4m	9h 46m	9h 18m
Total cost (1 person)	$95	$187	$62	$34
Carbon footprint	129 kg CO₂	78 kg CO₂	18 kg CO₂	18 kg CO₂
Flexibility	High	Low
Luggage	Unlimited	Restricted
Reliability	Weather dependent	91% on-time

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 Jul 19, 2026.

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