Drive or Fly: Auburndale, FL to Fort Lauderdale, 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–FLL. At 205 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

4h 10m

Distance

205.8 mi

Total Cost

$81

CO2

83 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$46

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 53m

20m in the air

Air Distance

168 mi

Total Cost

$182

CO2

43 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Auburndale, FL → LAL 23m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 20m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

FLL → Fort Lauderdale, FL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $127) $127

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Auburndale, FL LAL — Lakeland Linder International Airport 15 mi, ~23m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between LAL 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

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

4h 33m

3h 33m on rail

Total Cost

$32

CO2

9 kg

Route

Silver Meteor

Door-to-Door Timeline

Auburndale, FL → Winter Haven 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 213m

Arrival 10m

Fort Lauderdale Amtrak Station → Fort Lauderdale, FL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $32) $32

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

Stations

From Winter Haven 5 mi, ~10m drive

To Fort Lauderdale Amtrak Station 2 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

6h 20m

5h 35m on road

Total Cost

$18

CO2

9 kg

Route

Greyhound US0740s

Door-to-Door Timeline

Auburndale, FL → Winter Haven Transportation Center (WTH6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 335m

Arrival 10m

Ft Lauderdale Broward Park & Ride (FTL6) → Fort Lauderdale, FL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $18) $18

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

Stations

From WTH6 — Winter Haven Transportation Center 4 mi, ~10m drive

To FTL6 — Ft Lauderdale Broward Park & Ride 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	4h 10m	2h 53m	4h 33m	6h 20m
Total cost (1 person)	$81	$182	$32	$18
Carbon footprint	83 kg CO₂	43 kg CO₂	9 kg CO₂	9 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 13, 2026.

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