Drive or Fly: Merritt Island, 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 MLB–FLL. At 198 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 54m

Distance

198.4 mi

Total Cost

$79

CO2

80 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

3h 16m

21m in the air

Air Distance

178 mi

Total Cost

$127

CO2

45 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Merritt Island, FL → MLB 45m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 21m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

FLL → Hollywood, FL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $127) $127

Airports

Merritt Island, FL MLB — Melbourne Orlando International Airport 30 mi, ~45m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MLB 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

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

7h 32m

5h 40m on rail

Total Cost

$39

CO2

11 kg

Route

Silver Meteor

Door-to-Door Timeline

Merritt Island, FL → Winter Park Amtrak Station 62m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 340m

Arrival 10m

Hollywood Amtrak Station → Hollywood, FL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $39) $39

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

Stations

From Winter Park Amtrak Station 41 mi, ~62m drive

To Hollywood Amtrak Station 1 mi, ~10m 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

7h 1m

6h 10m on road

Total Cost

$20

CO2

10 kg

Route

Greyhound US0710s

Door-to-Door Timeline

Merritt Island, FL → Titusville (Sunshine Chevron) (TTL6) 16m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 370m

Arrival 10m

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

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $20) $20

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

Stations

From TTL6 — Titusville (Sunshine Chevron) 11 mi, ~16m drive

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

Service

Direct

Frequency

~7/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 7 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	3h 54m	3h 16m	7h 32m	7h 1m
Total cost (1 person)	$79	$127	$39	$20
Carbon footprint	80 kg CO₂	45 kg CO₂	11 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: 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 Apr 19, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

198.4 mi 3h 53m

via I 95, Florida's Turnpike, SR 3

Alternative (+0 min)

198.9 mi 3h 54m

via I 95, Florida's Turnpike, SR 3

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