Drive or Fly: Coral Gables, 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 MIA–FLL. At 33 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

45m

Distance

33.7 mi

Total Cost

$42

CO2

14 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$7

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 23m

3m in the air

Air Distance

29 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

7 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Coral Gables, FL → MIA 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 3m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

FLL → Fort Lauderdale, FL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

Coral Gables, FL MIA — Miami International Airport 5 mi, ~10m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MIA 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

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

1h 41m

38m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

Floridian

Door-to-Door Timeline

Coral Gables, FL → Miami Amtrak Station 13m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 38m

Arrival 10m

Fort Lauderdale Amtrak Station → Fort Lauderdale, FL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $4) $4

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

Stations

From Miami Amtrak Station 9 mi, ~13m drive

To Fort Lauderdale Amtrak Station 2 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

1h 25m

40m on road

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

FlixBus 2411

Door-to-Door Timeline

Coral Gables, FL → Miami Intermodal Center (MID6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 40m

Arrival 10m

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

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $3) $3

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

Stations

From MID6 — Miami Intermodal Center 5 mi, ~10m drive

To FTL6 — Ft Lauderdale Broward Park & Ride 2 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	45m	2h 23m	1h 41m	1h 25m
Total cost (1 person)	$42	$121	$4	$3
Carbon footprint	14 kg CO₂	7 kg CO₂	1 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: 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 12, 2026.

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