Drive or Fly: Clearwater, FL to East Naples, 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–RSW. At 169 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 18m

Distance

169.3 mi

Total Cost

$72

CO2

68 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 10m

17m in the air

Air Distance

141 mi

Total Cost

$126

CO2

36 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Clearwater, FL → PIE 12m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 17m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

RSW → East Naples, FL 41m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Airports

Clearwater, FL PIE — St. Petersburg Clearwater International Airport 8 mi, ~12m drive

East Naples, FL RSW — Southwest Florida International Airport 27 mi, ~41m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between PIE 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

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

4h 53m

3h on rail

Total Cost

$19

CO2

6 kg

Route

Amtrak Thruway Connecting Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

Clearwater, FL → St. Petersburg 19m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 180m

Arrival 10m

Fort Myers Amtrak Bus Stop → East Naples, FL 54m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $19) $19

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

Stations

From St. Petersburg 13 mi, ~19m drive

To Fort Myers Amtrak Bus Stop 36 mi, ~54m 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	3h 18m	3h 10m	4h 53m
Total cost (1 person)	$72	$126	$19
Carbon footprint	68 kg CO₂	36 kg CO₂	6 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 — 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 18, 2026.

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