Drive or Fly: Lake Alfred, FL to Orlando, 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 LAL–MCO. At 41 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

56m

Distance

41.9 mi

Total Cost

$44

CO2

17 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$9

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 46m

4m in the air

Air Distance

37 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

10 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Lake Alfred, FL → LAL 29m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 4m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MCO → Orlando, FL 13m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

Lake Alfred, FL LAL — Lakeland Linder International Airport 20 mi, ~29m drive

Orlando, FL MCO — Orlando International Airport 9 mi, ~13m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between LAL and MCO. 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

2h 14m

1h 14m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

Silver Meteor

Door-to-Door Timeline

Lake Alfred, FL → Winter Haven 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 74m

Arrival 10m

Orlando → Orlando, FL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $8) $8

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

Stations

From Winter Haven 6 mi, ~10m drive

To Orlando 1 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~12/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 12 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

1h 55m

1h 10m on road

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

Greyhound US0770S

Door-to-Door Timeline

Lake Alfred, FL → Winter Haven Transportation Center (WTH6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 70m

Arrival 10m

Orlando Bus Station (ORL6) → Orlando, FL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $4) $4

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

Stations

From WTH6 — Winter Haven Transportation Center 5 mi, ~10m drive

To ORL6 — Orlando Bus Station 2 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	56m	2h 46m	2h 14m	1h 55m
Total cost (1 person)	$44	$121	$8	$4
Carbon footprint	17 kg CO₂	10 kg CO₂	2 kg CO₂	2 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 13, 2026.

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