Drive or Fly: Cape Coral, FL to Marco Island, 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 RSW–RSW. At 55 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 18m

Distance

55.7 mi

Total Cost

$47

CO2

23 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$12

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 25m

5m in the air

Air Distance

45 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

12 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Cape Coral, FL → RSW 18m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 5m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

RSW → Marco Island, FL 62m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

Cape Coral, FL RSW — Southwest Florida International Airport 12 mi, ~18m drive

Marco Island, FL RSW — Southwest Florida International Airport 41 mi, ~62m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between RSW and RSW. 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

2h 7m

50m on road

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

FlixBus 2421

Door-to-Door Timeline

Cape Coral, FL → Fort Myers Bus Stop (FTM6) 11m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 50m

Arrival 10m

Bonita Springs, FL (TCN6) → Marco Island, FL 41m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $2) $2

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

Stations

From FTM6 — Fort Myers Bus Stop 7 mi, ~11m drive

To TCN6 — Bonita Springs, FL 27 mi, ~41m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~21/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	Bus
Door-to-door time	1h 18m	3h 25m	2h 7m
Total cost (1 person)	$47	$122	$2
Carbon footprint	23 kg CO₂	12 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: 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.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Cape Coral, FL to Marco Island, FL with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.