Drive or Fly: Fort Lauderdale, FL to Dover, 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–LAL. At 226 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

4h 40m

Distance

226.3 mi

Total Cost

$85

CO2

91 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$50

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 50m

22m in the air

Air Distance

182 mi

Total Cost

$182

CO2

46 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Fort Lauderdale, FL → FLL 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 22m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

LAL → Dover, FL 18m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $127) $127

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

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

Dover, FL LAL — Lakeland Linder International Airport 12 mi, ~18m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between FLL and LAL. 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

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

4h 48m on rail

Total Cost

$38

CO2

11 kg

Route

Floridian

Door-to-Door Timeline

Fort Lauderdale, FL → Fort Lauderdale Amtrak Station 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 288m

Arrival 10m

Tampa → Dover, FL 22m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $38) $38

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

Stations

From Fort Lauderdale Amtrak Station 2 mi, ~10m drive

To Tampa 14 mi, ~22m 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

7h 30m

6h 45m on road

Total Cost

$20

CO2

10 kg

Route

Greyhound US0740s

Door-to-Door Timeline

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

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 405m

Arrival 10m

Plant City (Sunoco) (PNT6) → Dover, FL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $20) $20

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

Stations

From FTL6 — Ft Lauderdale Broward Park & Ride 2 mi, ~10m drive

To PNT6 — Plant City (Sunoco) 7 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~7/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

− Limited schedule — about 7 trips per week

− 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	4h 40m	2h 50m	6h	7h 30m
Total cost (1 person)	$85	$182	$38	$20
Carbon footprint	91 kg CO₂	46 kg CO₂	11 kg CO₂	10 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 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

226.3 mi 4h 40m

via Florida's Turnpike, FL 60, North Dover Road

Alternative (+13 min)

226.7 mi 4h 53m

via US 27, US 27; FL 80, FL 60

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