Drive or Fly: North Miami, 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 OPF–LAL. At 228 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

4h 34m

Distance

228 mi

Total Cost

$85

CO2

92 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$50

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 42m

22m in the air

Air Distance

184 mi

Total Cost

$182

CO2

47 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

North Miami, FL → OPF 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 22m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

LAL → Lakeland, FL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $127) $127

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

North Miami, FL OPF — Miami-Opa Locka Executive Airport 6 mi, ~10m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between OPF 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

7h 18m

6h 18m on rail

Total Cost

$37

CO2

11 kg

Route

Floridian

Door-to-Door Timeline

North Miami, FL → Miami Amtrak Station 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 378m

Arrival 10m

Lakeland Amtrak Station → Lakeland, FL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $37) $37

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

Stations

From Miami Amtrak Station 5 mi, ~10m 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

6h 50m

6h 5m on road

Total Cost

$20

CO2

11 kg

Route

FlixBus N2411

Door-to-Door Timeline

North Miami, FL → Miami Golden Glades (4MN) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 365m

Arrival 10m

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

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $20) $20

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

Stations

From 4MN — Miami Golden Glades 3 mi, ~10m 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 34m	2h 42m	7h 18m	6h 50m
Total cost (1 person)	$85	$182	$37	$20
Carbon footprint	92 kg CO₂	47 kg CO₂	11 kg CO₂	11 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.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

228 mi 4h 33m

via Florida's Turnpike, FL 60, US 98

Shortest (+8 min)

219.5 mi 4h 41m

via US 27, US 27; FL 80, FL 60

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