Drive or Fly: Hollywood, FL to Palmetto, 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–SRQ. At 228 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

4h 13m

Distance

228.8 mi

Total Cost

$78

CO2

92 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$43

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 45m

22m in the air

Air Distance

182 mi

Total Cost

$182

CO2

46 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Hollywood, FL → FLL 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 22m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SRQ → Palmetto, FL 13m

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

Palmetto, FL SRQ — Sarasota Bradenton International Airport 9 mi, ~13m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between FLL and SRQ. 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

6h 10m

4h 45m on road

Total Cost

$18

CO2

13 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Hollywood, FL → Hollywood Sheridan Trirail Station (HOL6) 30m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 285m

Arrival 10m

Sarasota Cattlemen Transfer Center (4SS) → Palmetto, FL 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $18) $18

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

Stations

From HOL6 — Hollywood Sheridan Trirail Station 0 mi, ~30m drive

To 4SS — Sarasota Cattlemen Transfer Center 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	Bus
Door-to-door time	4h 13m	2h 45m	6h 10m
Total cost (1 person)	$78	$182	$18
Carbon footprint	92 kg CO₂	46 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: 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

228.8 mi 4h 13m

via I 75, I 595, US 301

Alternative (+48 min)

229.5 mi 5h 1m

via FL 70, I 95, FL 710

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