Drive or Fly: Fort Lauderdale, FL to Plant City, 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 220 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

4h 29m

Distance

220.6 mi

Total Cost

$77

CO2

89 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$42

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 41m

21m in the air

Air Distance

179 mi

Total Cost

$182

CO2

46 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Fort Lauderdale, FL → FLL 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 21m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

LAL → Plant City, FL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $127) $127

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

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

Plant City, FL LAL — Lakeland Linder International Airport 6 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

7h 20m

5h 40m on rail

Total Cost

$34

CO2

13 kg

Route

Floridian

Door-to-Door Timeline

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

Boarding 30m

Train ride 340m

Arrival 10m

Lakeland Amtrak Station (LAK) → Plant City, FL 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $34) $34

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

Stations

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

To LAK — Lakeland Amtrak Station 0 mi, ~30m 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 35m on road

Total Cost

$20

CO2

13 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

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

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 395m

Arrival 10m

Plant City (Sunoco) (PNT6) → Plant City, FL 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $20) $20

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

Stations

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

To PNT6 — Plant City (Sunoco) 0 mi, ~30m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~8/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 8 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 29m	2h 41m	7h 20m	8h
Total cost (1 person)	$77	$182	$34	$20
Carbon footprint	89 kg CO₂	46 kg CO₂	13 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 Jul 20, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

220.6 mi 4h 29m

via Florida's Turnpike, FL 60, FL 570 Toll

Alternative (+11 min)

246.9 mi 4h 40m

via Florida's Turnpike, I 4, FL 417 Toll

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