Drive or Fly: Panama City, FL to St. Petersburg, 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 ECP–PIE. At 350 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

7h 31m

Distance

350.2 mi

Total Cost

$112

CO2

141 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$77

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 7m

29m in the air

Air Distance

244 mi

Total Cost

$185

CO2

62 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Panama City, FL → ECP 24m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 29m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

PIE → St. Petersburg, FL 14m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $130) $130

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Panama City, FL ECP — Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport 16 mi, ~24m drive

St. Petersburg, FL PIE — St. Petersburg Clearwater International Airport 10 mi, ~14m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ECP and PIE. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 4h 24m 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly
Door-to-door time	7h 31m	3h 7m
Total cost (1 person)	$112	$185
Carbon footprint	141 kg CO₂	62 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

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

350.2 mi 7h 31m

via FL 589 Toll, US 19; US 98; US 27 Alternate; US 221 Truck, US 19; US 98; US 27 Alternate

Alternative (+6 min)

396.9 mi 7h 37m

via I 75, I 10, I 275

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