Drive or Fly: Margate, FL to Lakeland, 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–LAL. At 203 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

4h 5m

Distance

203.2 mi

Total Cost

$80

CO2

82 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$45

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 48m

20m in the air

Air Distance

164 mi

Total Cost

$182

CO2

42 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Margate, FL → FLL 18m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 20m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

LAL → Lakeland, FL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $127) $127

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Margate, FL FLL — Fort Lauderdale Hollywood International Airport 12 mi, ~18m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between FLL 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

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

6h 24m

5h 23m on rail

Total Cost

$33

CO2

10 kg

Route

Floridian

Door-to-Door Timeline

Margate, FL → Deerfield Beach Amtrak Station 11m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 323m

Arrival 10m

Lakeland Amtrak Station → Lakeland, FL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $33) $33

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

Stations

From Deerfield Beach Amtrak Station 7 mi, ~11m drive

To Lakeland Amtrak Station 0 mi, ~10m 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

7h 8m

6h 20m on road

Total Cost

$19

CO2

10 kg

Route

Greyhound US0740s

Door-to-Door Timeline

Margate, FL → Ft Lauderdale Broward Park & Ride (FTL6) 13m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 380m

Arrival 10m

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

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $19) $19

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

Stations

From FTL6 — Ft Lauderdale Broward Park & Ride 9 mi, ~13m drive

To LKD6 — Lakeland Gow B Fields Park & Ride 3 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	4h 5m	2h 48m	6h 24m	7h 8m
Total cost (1 person)	$80	$182	$33	$19
Carbon footprint	82 kg CO₂	42 kg CO₂	10 kg CO₂	10 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

203.2 mi 4h 5m

via Florida's Turnpike, FL 60, US 98

Alternative (+17 min)

231.7 mi 4h 22m

via Florida's Turnpike, I 4, FL 417 Toll

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