Drive or Fly: Lakeland, FL to Wellington, 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–PBI. At 177 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 35m

Distance

177 mi

Total Cost

$74

CO2

72 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$39

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 41m

17m in the air

Air Distance

142 mi

Total Cost

$126

CO2

36 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Lakeland, FL → LAL 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 17m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

PBI → Wellington, FL 14m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Airports

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

Wellington, FL PBI — Palm Beach International Airport 9 mi, ~14m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between LAL and PBI. 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

5h 59m

4h 51m on rail

Total Cost

$30

CO2

9 kg

Route

Floridian

Door-to-Door Timeline

Lakeland, FL → Lakeland Amtrak Station 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 291m

Arrival 10m

West Palm Beach Amtrak Station → Wellington, FL 18m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $30) $30

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

Stations

From Lakeland Amtrak Station 0 mi, ~10m drive

To West Palm Beach Amtrak Station 12 mi, ~18m 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 43m

4h 50m on road

Total Cost

$17

CO2

9 kg

Route

FlixBus N2411

Door-to-Door Timeline

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

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 290m

Arrival 10m

West Palm Beach Bus Station (WPB) → Wellington, FL 18m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $17) $17

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

Stations

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

To WPB — West Palm Beach Bus Station 12 mi, ~18m 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 35m	2h 41m	5h 59m	5h 43m
Total cost (1 person)	$74	$126	$30	$17
Carbon footprint	72 kg CO₂	36 kg CO₂	9 kg CO₂	9 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

177 mi 3h 35m

via Florida's Turnpike, FL 60, US 98

Shortest (+23 min)

171 mi 3h 59m

via US 98, US 98; US 441, US 27

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