Drive or Fly: Lakeland, FL to Lake Wales, 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–LAL. At 28 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

42m

Distance

28.5 mi

Total Cost

$41

CO2

12 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$6

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 54m

3m in the air

Air Distance

24 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

6 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Lakeland, FL → LAL 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 3m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

LAL → Lake Wales, FL 41m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

Lakeland, FL LAL — Lakeland Linder International Airport 6 mi, ~10m drive

Lake Wales, FL LAL — Lakeland Linder International Airport 27 mi, ~41m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between LAL 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

3h 6m

1h 59m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

Floridian

Door-to-Door Timeline

Lakeland, FL → Lakeland Amtrak Station 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 119m

Arrival 10m

Winter Haven → Lake Wales, FL 17m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $3) $3

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

Stations

From Lakeland Amtrak Station 0 mi, ~10m drive

To Winter Haven 11 mi, ~17m 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

1h 45m

1h on road

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

Greyhound US0740s

Door-to-Door Timeline

Lakeland, FL → Lakeland Gow B Fields Park & Ride (LKD6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 60m

Arrival 10m

Lake Wales (Citgo) (LWA6) → Lake Wales, FL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $3) $3

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

Stations

From LKD6 — Lakeland Gow B Fields Park & Ride 3 mi, ~10m drive

To LWA6 — Lake Wales (Citgo) 1 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	42m	2h 54m	3h 6m	1h 45m
Total cost (1 person)	$41	$121	$3	$3
Carbon footprint	12 kg CO₂	6 kg CO₂	1 kg CO₂	1 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 16, 2026.

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