Drive or Fly: Cape Coral, FL to Shady Hills, 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–TPA. At 166 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 28m

Distance

166.9 mi

Total Cost

$72

CO2

67 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$37

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 19m

16m in the air

Air Distance

133 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

34 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Cape Coral, FL → RSW 18m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 16m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

TPA → Shady Hills, FL 45m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

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

Shady Hills, FL TPA — Tampa International Airport 30 mi, ~45m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between RSW and TPA. 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly
Door-to-door time	3h 28m	3h 19m
Total cost (1 person)	$72	$125
Carbon footprint	67 kg CO₂	34 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

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 16, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

166.9 mi 3h 28m

via I 75, US 41, CR 867A

Alternative (+4 min)

169.8 mi 3h 32m

via I 75, I 275; US 19, FL 589 Toll

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