Drive or Fly: Hollywood, 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 230 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

4h 36m

Distance

230.5 mi

Total Cost

$79

CO2

93 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$44

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 42m

22m in the air

Air Distance

184 mi

Total Cost

$182

CO2

47 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Hollywood, FL → FLL 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 22m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

LAL → Plant City, FL 10m

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

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 34m

5h 54m on rail

Total Cost

$36

CO2

13 kg

Route

Floridian

Door-to-Door Timeline

Hollywood, FL → Hollywood Amtrak Station (HOL) 30m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 354m

Arrival 10m

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

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $36) $36

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

Stations

From HOL — Hollywood 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

8h 20m

6h 55m on road

Total Cost

$20

CO2

13 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

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

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 415m

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 HOL6 — Hollywood Sheridan Trirail Station 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 36m	2h 42m	7h 34m	8h 20m
Total cost (1 person)	$79	$182	$36	$20
Carbon footprint	93 kg CO₂	47 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

230.5 mi 4h 36m

via Florida's Turnpike, FL 60, I 95

Shortest (+6 min)

223.1 mi 4h 43m

via US 27, US 27; FL 80, FL 60

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