Drive or Fly: Jacksonville, FL to Rock Island, 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 JAX–FLL. At 318 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

5h 57m

Distance

318.2 mi

Total Cost

$105

CO2

129 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$70

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 3m

36m in the air

Air Distance

302 mi

Total Cost

$187

CO2

77 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Jacksonville, FL → JAX 17m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 36m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

FLL → Rock Island, FL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $132) $132

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Jacksonville, FL JAX — Jacksonville International Airport 11 mi, ~17m drive

Rock Island, FL FLL — Fort Lauderdale Hollywood International Airport 6 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Saves about 2h 54m 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

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

9h 17m

8h 17m on rail

Total Cost

$62

CO2

18 kg

Route

Silver Meteor

Door-to-Door Timeline

Jacksonville, FL → Jacksonville 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 497m

Arrival 10m

Fort Lauderdale Amtrak Station → Rock Island, FL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $62) $62

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

Stations

From Jacksonville 5 mi, ~10m drive

To Fort Lauderdale Amtrak Station 3 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~8/week

+ Spacious seating with legroom and power outlets

+ Walk around freely during the trip

+ Scenic views along the route

+ No driving fatigue — relax or work en route

+ Much lower carbon footprint than driving or flying

− Limited schedule — about 8 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

8h 45m

8h on road

Total Cost

$34

CO2

18 kg

Route

FlixBus 2431

Door-to-Door Timeline

Jacksonville, FL → Jacksonville (Downtown) (JAX6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 480m

Arrival 10m

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

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $34) $34

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

Stations

From JAX6 — Jacksonville (Downtown) 1 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	5h 57m	3h 3m	9h 17m	8h 45m
Total cost (1 person)	$105	$187	$62	$34
Carbon footprint	129 kg CO₂	77 kg CO₂	18 kg CO₂	18 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

318.2 mi 5h 57m

via I 95, Florida's Turnpike

Alternative (+1 min)

322.3 mi 5h 58m

via I 95

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