Drive or Fly: Pembroke Pines, FL to Placid Lakes, 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 FLL–PGD. At 136 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 55m

Distance

136.8 mi

Total Cost

$65

CO2

55 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$30

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 27m

14m in the air

Air Distance

113 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

29 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Pembroke Pines, FL → FLL 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 14m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

PGD → Placid Lakes, FL 63m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

Pembroke Pines, FL FLL — Fort Lauderdale Hollywood International Airport 7 mi, ~10m drive

Placid Lakes, FL PGD — Punta Gorda Airport 42 mi, ~63m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between FLL and PGD. 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

3h 56m

2h 39m on rail

Total Cost

$26

CO2

7 kg

Route

Floridian

Door-to-Door Timeline

Pembroke Pines, FL → Hollywood Amtrak Station 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 159m

Arrival 10m

Sebring Amtrak Station → Placid Lakes, FL 27m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $26) $26

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

Stations

From Hollywood Amtrak Station 4 mi, ~10m drive

To Sebring Amtrak Station 18 mi, ~27m 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

4h 45m

4h on road

Total Cost

$13

CO2

7 kg

Route

Greyhound US0740s

Door-to-Door Timeline

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

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 240m

Arrival 10m

Lake Placid (Wendy's) (LEC6) → Placid Lakes, FL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $13) $13

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

Stations

From HOL6 — Hollywood Sheridan Trirail Station 4 mi, ~10m drive

To LEC6 — Lake Placid (Wendy's) 5 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	2h 55m	3h 27m	3h 56m	4h 45m
Total cost (1 person)	$65	$125	$26	$13
Carbon footprint	55 kg CO₂	29 kg CO₂	7 kg CO₂	7 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

136.8 mi 2h 55m

via US 27, US 27; FL 80, I 595

Alternative (+23 min)

150.4 mi 3h 18m

via Florida's Turnpike, FL 710, FL 70

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Pembroke Pines, FL to Placid Lakes, FL with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.