Drive or Fly: Lake Sarasota, FL to Hollywood, 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 SRQ–FLL. At 208 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 49m

Distance

208.4 mi

Total Cost

$81

CO2

84 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$46

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

20m in the air

Air Distance

167 mi

Total Cost

$182

CO2

43 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Lake Sarasota, FL → SRQ 15m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 20m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

FLL → Hollywood, FL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $127) $127

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Lake Sarasota, FL SRQ — Sarasota Bradenton International Airport 10 mi, ~15m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between SRQ and FLL. 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

4h 58m

4h 13m on road

Total Cost

$18

CO2

10 kg

Route

FlixBus 2421

Door-to-Door Timeline

Lake Sarasota, FL → Sarasota Cattlemen Transfer Center (4SS) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 253m

Arrival 10m

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

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $18) $18

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

Stations

From 4SS — Sarasota Cattlemen Transfer Center 2 mi, ~10m drive

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

Service

Direct

Frequency

~14/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	Bus
Door-to-door time	3h 49m	2h 45m	4h 58m
Total cost (1 person)	$81	$182	$18
Carbon footprint	84 kg CO₂	43 kg CO₂	10 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 Apr 19, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

208.4 mi 3h 48m

via I 75, I 595, I 95

Shortest (+21 min)

203.9 mi 4h 10m

via FL 80, I 75, US 27; FL 80

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