Drive or Fly: Alturas, FL to Kathleen, 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 LAL–LAL. At 30 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

51m

Distance

30 mi

Total Cost

$42

CO2

12 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$7

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

2h 47m

3m in the air

Air Distance

25 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

6 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Alturas, FL → LAL 30m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 3m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

LAL → Kathleen, FL 14m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

Alturas, FL LAL — Lakeland Linder International Airport 20 mi, ~30m drive

Kathleen, FL LAL — Lakeland Linder International Airport 9 mi, ~14m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between LAL and LAL. 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 31m

2h 27m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

Floridian

Door-to-Door Timeline

Alturas, FL → Winter Haven 14m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 147m

Arrival 10m

Lakeland Amtrak Station → Kathleen, FL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $3) $3

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

Stations

From Winter Haven 9 mi, ~14m drive

To Lakeland Amtrak Station 7 mi, ~10m 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

1h 51m

1h 5m on road

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

Greyhound US0740s

Door-to-Door Timeline

Alturas, FL → Lake Wales (Citgo) (LWA6) 11m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 65m

Arrival 10m

Lakeland Gow B Fields Park & Ride (LKD6) → Kathleen, FL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $3) $3

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

Stations

From LWA6 — Lake Wales (Citgo) 7 mi, ~11m drive

To LKD6 — Lakeland Gow B Fields Park & Ride 4 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	51m	2h 47m	3h 31m	1h 51m
Total cost (1 person)	$42	$121	$3	$3
Carbon footprint	12 kg CO₂	6 kg CO₂	1 kg CO₂	1 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 15, 2026.

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