Drive or Fly: Land O' Lakes, FL to Fort Lauderdale, 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 TPA–FLL. At 258 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

5h 10m

Distance

258.3 mi

Total Cost

$92

CO2

104 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$57

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

24m in the air

Air Distance

203 mi

Total Cost

$183

CO2

52 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Land O' Lakes, FL → TPA 26m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 24m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

FLL → Fort Lauderdale, FL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $128) $128

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Land O' Lakes, FL TPA — Tampa International Airport 17 mi, ~26m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between TPA and FLL. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 2h 10m compared to driving

+ 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 6m

4h 48m on rail

Total Cost

$38

CO2

11 kg

Route

Floridian

Door-to-Door Timeline

Land O' Lakes, FL → Tampa 28m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 288m

Arrival 10m

Fort Lauderdale Amtrak Station → Fort Lauderdale, FL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $38) $38

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

Stations

From Tampa 18 mi, ~28m drive

To Fort Lauderdale Amtrak Station 2 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~2/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 2 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	5h 10m	3h	6h 6m
Total cost (1 person)	$92	$183	$38
Carbon footprint	104 kg CO₂	52 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 — 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

258.3 mi 5h 9m

via Florida's Turnpike, FL 60, I 4

Alternative (+2 min)

280.9 mi 5h 12m

via I 75, I 595, FL 54

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