Drive or Fly: Beacon Square, FL to Pembroke Pines, 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 PIE–FLL. At 280 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

5h 22m

Distance

280.3 mi

Total Cost

$97

CO2

113 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$62

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 8m

26m in the air

Air Distance

218 mi

Total Cost

$184

CO2

56 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Beacon Square, FL → PIE 32m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 26m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

FLL → Pembroke Pines, FL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $129) $129

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Beacon Square, FL PIE — St. Petersburg Clearwater International Airport 21 mi, ~32m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Saves about 2h 14m 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

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

6h 31m

5h 3m on rail

Total Cost

$39

CO2

11 kg

Route

Floridian

Door-to-Door Timeline

Beacon Square, FL → Tampa 38m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 303m

Arrival 10m

Hollywood Amtrak Station → Pembroke Pines, FL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $39) $39

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

Stations

From Tampa 26 mi, ~38m drive

To Hollywood Amtrak Station 4 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

7h 27m

6h 18m on road

Total Cost

$22

CO2

11 kg

Route

FlixBus 2421

Door-to-Door Timeline

Beacon Square, FL → University of South Florida (4US) 34m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 378m

Arrival 10m

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

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $22) $22

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

Stations

From 4US — University of South Florida 23 mi, ~34m drive

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

Service

Direct

Frequency

~14/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

− 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	5h 22m	3h 8m	6h 31m	7h 27m
Total cost (1 person)	$97	$184	$39	$22
Carbon footprint	113 kg CO₂	56 kg CO₂	11 kg CO₂	11 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 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

280.3 mi 5h 21m

via I 75, US 19, I 275; US 19

Alternative (+17 min)

281.4 mi 5h 38m

via Florida's Turnpike, FL 60, FL 54

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