Drive or Fly: Hollywood, FL to Charlotte Harbor, 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–PGD. At 168 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 8m

Distance

168.2 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

2h 36m

16m in the air

Air Distance

135 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

35 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Hollywood, FL → FLL 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 16m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

PGD → Charlotte Harbor, FL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

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

Charlotte Harbor, FL PGD — Punta Gorda Airport 5 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between FLL and PGD. 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

3h 58m

2h 50m on road

Total Cost

$15

CO2

8 kg

Route

Greyhound US0761S

Door-to-Door Timeline

Hollywood, FL → Hollywood Sheridan Trirail Station (HOL6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 170m

Arrival 10m

Arcadia (The Tree of Knowledge) (RCA6) → Charlotte Harbor, FL 33m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $15) $15

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

Stations

From HOL6 — Hollywood Sheridan Trirail Station 2 mi, ~10m drive

To RCA6 — Arcadia (The Tree of Knowledge) 22 mi, ~33m 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	Bus
Door-to-door time	3h 8m	2h 36m	3h 58m
Total cost (1 person)	$72	$125	$15
Carbon footprint	68 kg CO₂	35 kg CO₂	8 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: 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 16, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

168.2 mi 3h 7m

via I 75, I 595, I 95

Shortest (+20 min)

163.3 mi 3h 27m

via US 27, FL 80, I 75

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