Drive or Fly: Leesburg, FL to Cape Coral, 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 SFB–RSW. At 206 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

4h 7m

Distance

206.2 mi

Total Cost

$85

CO2

83 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$50

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

3h 36m

19m in the air

Air Distance

155 mi

Total Cost

$181

CO2

40 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Leesburg, FL → SFB 59m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 19m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

RSW → Cape Coral, FL 18m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Leesburg, FL SFB — Orlando Sanford International Airport 39 mi, ~59m drive

Cape Coral, FL RSW — Southwest Florida International Airport 12 mi, ~18m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between SFB and RSW. 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 52m

5h 27m on road

Total Cost

$15

CO2

12 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Leesburg, FL → Orlando Bus Station (ORL6) 30m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 327m

Arrival 10m

Fort Myers Bus Stop (FTM6) → Cape Coral, FL 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $15) $15

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

Stations

From ORL6 — Orlando Bus Station 0 mi, ~30m drive

To FTM6 — Fort Myers Bus Stop 0 mi, ~30m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~27/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	4h 7m	3h 36m	6h 52m
Total cost (1 person)	$85	$181	$15
Carbon footprint	83 kg CO₂	40 kg CO₂	12 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 Oct 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

206.2 mi 4h 6m

via I 75, CR 867A, US 41

Shortest (+4 min)

175.1 mi 4h 11m

via US 17, FL 33, US 17; US 98

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