Drive or Fly: Tampa, FL to Sweetwater, 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–PGD. At 81 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

Distance

81.1 mi

Total Cost

$53

CO2

33 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$18

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 14m

7m in the air

Air Distance

59 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

15 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Tampa, FL → TPA 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 7m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

PGD → Sweetwater, FL 57m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

Tampa, FL TPA — Tampa International Airport 5 mi, ~10m drive

Sweetwater, FL PGD — Punta Gorda Airport 38 mi, ~57m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between TPA 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

2h 53m

1h 37m on rail

Total Cost

$14

CO2

4 kg

Route

Floridian

Door-to-Door Timeline

Tampa, FL → Tampa 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 97m

Arrival 10m

Sebring Amtrak Station → Sweetwater, FL 26m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $14) $14

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

Stations

From Tampa 1 mi, ~10m drive

To Sebring Amtrak Station 18 mi, ~26m 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

3h 43m

2h 45m on road

Total Cost

CO2

4 kg

Route

Greyhound US0740s

Door-to-Door Timeline

Tampa, FL → Tampa Bus Station (TPA6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 165m

Arrival 10m

Sebring (Mobil) (SRG6) → Sweetwater, FL 23m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $8) $8

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

Stations

From TPA6 — Tampa Bus Station 1 mi, ~10m drive

To SRG6 — Sebring (Mobil) 15 mi, ~23m 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	3h 14m	2h 53m	3h 43m
Total cost (1 person)	$53	$122	$14	$8
Carbon footprint	33 kg CO₂	15 kg CO₂	4 kg CO₂	4 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

81.1 mi 1h 59m

via FL 60, FL 37, US 17

Alternative (+1 min)

87.1 mi 2h 1m

via US 17; US 98, I 4, FL 570 Toll

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