Drive or Fly: Harlem, FL to Bloomingdale, 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–LAL. At 145 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 17m

Distance

145.1 mi

Total Cost

$67

CO2

59 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$32

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 52m

13m in the air

Air Distance

112 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

29 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Harlem, FL → RSW 77m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 13m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

LAL → Bloomingdale, FL 22m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

Harlem, FL RSW — Southwest Florida International Airport 52 mi, ~77m drive

Bloomingdale, FL LAL — Lakeland Linder International Airport 15 mi, ~22m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between RSW 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

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

4h 51m

2h 57m on rail

Total Cost

$22

CO2

6 kg

Route

Floridian

Door-to-Door Timeline

Harlem, FL → Okeechobee Amtrak 54m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 177m

Arrival 10m

Tampa → Bloomingdale, FL 20m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $22) $22

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

Stations

From Okeechobee Amtrak 36 mi, ~54m drive

To Tampa 13 mi, ~20m 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

5h 2m

4h 10m on road

Total Cost

$12

CO2

7 kg

Route

Greyhound US0740s

Door-to-Door Timeline

Harlem, FL → Clewiston (Walmart) (CLE6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 250m

Arrival 10m

Plant City (Sunoco) (PNT6) → Bloomingdale, FL 17m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $12) $12

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

Stations

From CLE6 — Clewiston (Walmart) 1 mi, ~10m drive

To PNT6 — Plant City (Sunoco) 12 mi, ~17m 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	3h 17m	3h 52m	4h 51m	5h 2m
Total cost (1 person)	$67	$124	$22	$12
Carbon footprint	59 kg CO₂	29 kg CO₂	6 kg CO₂	7 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

145.1 mi 3h 16m

via US 27; FL 80, FL 66, Lithia Pinecrest Road

Alternative (+0 min)

149.6 mi 3h 16m

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

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