Drive or Fly: Orlando, FL to Anna Maria, 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 MCO–SRQ. At 128 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 43m

Distance

128.4 mi

Total Cost

$63

CO2

52 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$28

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

13m in the air

Air Distance

108 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

28 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Orlando, FL → MCO 13m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 13m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SRQ → Anna Maria, FL 22m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

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

Anna Maria, FL SRQ — Sarasota Bradenton International Airport 15 mi, ~22m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MCO and SRQ. 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

4h 40m

3h 30m on rail

Total Cost

$20

CO2

6 kg

Route

Amtrak Thruway Connecting Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

Orlando, FL → Orlando 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 210m

Arrival 10m

Bradenton → Anna Maria, FL 20m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $20) $20

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

Stations

From Orlando 1 mi, ~10m drive

To Bradenton 14 mi, ~20m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~1/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 1 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

3h 48m

2h 47m on road

Total Cost

$10

CO2

5 kg

Route

FlixBus 2421

Door-to-Door Timeline

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

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 167m

Arrival 10m

St. Petersburg (FL) (4SP) → Anna Maria, FL 26m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $10) $10

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

Stations

From ORL6 — Orlando Bus Station 2 mi, ~10m drive

To 4SP — St. Petersburg (FL) 17 mi, ~26m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~21/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

− 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	2h 43m	2h 48m	4h 40m	3h 48m
Total cost (1 person)	$63	$124	$20	$10
Carbon footprint	52 kg CO₂	28 kg CO₂	6 kg CO₂	5 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.

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