Drive or Fly: Orlando, FL to Marco Island, 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–RSW. At 202 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

4h 30m

Distance

202.1 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

3h 37m

22m in the air

Air Distance

181 mi

Total Cost

$182

CO2

46 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Orlando, FL → MCO 13m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 22m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

RSW → Marco Island, FL 62m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $127) $127

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

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

Marco Island, FL RSW — Southwest Florida International Airport 41 mi, ~62m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MCO and RSW. 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 49m

5h 45m on rail

Total Cost

$26

CO2

8 kg

Route

Amtrak Thruway Connecting Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

Orlando, FL → Orlando 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 345m

Arrival 10m

Fort Myers Amtrak Bus Stop → Marco Island, FL 74m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $26) $26

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

Stations

From Orlando 1 mi, ~10m drive

To Fort Myers Amtrak Bus Stop 50 mi, ~74m 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

7h 26m

6h 10m on road

Total Cost

$17

CO2

9 kg

Route

FlixBus 2421

Door-to-Door Timeline

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

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 370m

Arrival 10m

Bonita Springs, FL (TCN6) → Marco Island, FL 41m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $17) $17

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

Stations

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

To TCN6 — Bonita Springs, FL 27 mi, ~41m 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	4h 30m	3h 37m	7h 49m	7h 26m
Total cost (1 person)	$80	$182	$26	$17
Carbon footprint	82 kg CO₂	46 kg CO₂	8 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 16, 2026.

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