Drive or Fly: Hollywood, FL to Brandon, 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–TPA. At 236 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

4h 44m

Distance

236.4 mi

Total Cost

$87

CO2

96 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$52

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 55m

22m in the air

Air Distance

187 mi

Total Cost

$182

CO2

48 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Hollywood, FL → FLL 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 22m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

TPA → Brandon, FL 23m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $127) $127

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

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

Brandon, FL TPA — Tampa International Airport 15 mi, ~23m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between FLL and TPA. 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 7m

5h 2m on rail

Total Cost

$39

CO2

11 kg

Route

Floridian

Door-to-Door Timeline

Hollywood, FL → Hollywood Amtrak Station 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 302m

Arrival 10m

Tampa → Brandon, FL 15m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $39) $39

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

Stations

From Hollywood Amtrak Station 1 mi, ~10m drive

To Tampa 10 mi, ~15m 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

7h 11m

6h 20m on road

Total Cost

$21

CO2

11 kg

Route

FlixBus 2421

Door-to-Door Timeline

Hollywood, FL → Hollywood Sheridan Trirail Station (HOL6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 380m

Arrival 10m

Tampa Bus Station (TPA6) → Brandon, FL 16m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $21) $21

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

Stations

From HOL6 — Hollywood Sheridan Trirail Station 2 mi, ~10m drive

To TPA6 — Tampa Bus Station 11 mi, ~16m 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 44m	2h 55m	6h 7m	7h 11m
Total cost (1 person)	$87	$182	$39	$21
Carbon footprint	96 kg CO₂	48 kg CO₂	11 kg CO₂	11 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 21, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

236.4 mi 4h 44m

via Florida's Turnpike, FL 60, I 95

Alternative (+0 min)

259.5 mi 4h 44m

via I 75, I 595, I 95

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