Drive or Fly: Deerfield Beach, FL to Clearwater, 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 FLL–PIE. At 254 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

5h 12m

Distance

254.5 mi

Total Cost

$91

CO2

103 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$56

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 2m

24m in the air

Air Distance

201 mi

Total Cost

$183

CO2

51 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Deerfield Beach, FL → FLL 26m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 24m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

PIE → Clearwater, FL 12m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $128) $128

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Deerfield Beach, FL FLL — Fort Lauderdale Hollywood International Airport 17 mi, ~26m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Saves about 2h 10m 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly
Door-to-door time	5h 12m	3h 2m
Total cost (1 person)	$91	$183
Carbon footprint	103 kg CO₂	51 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 18, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

254.5 mi 5h 12m

via Florida's Turnpike, FL 60, I 95

Alternative (+7 min)

278.5 mi 5h 19m

via I 75, SR 869 Toll, I 275; US 19

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