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Drive or Fly: Orlando, FL to San Antonio, 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–LAL. At 68 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:
Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 39m

Distance

68.7 mi

Total Cost

$50

CO2

28 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$15
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 3m

7m in the air

Air Distance

56 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

14 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Orlando, FL → MCO 13m
Check-in & Security 90m
Flight 7m
Arrival & Baggage 30m
LAL → San Antonio, FL 43m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

Orlando, FL MCO — Orlando International Airport 9 mi, ~13m drive
San Antonio, FL LAL — Lakeland Linder International Airport 29 mi, ~43m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MCO 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
Luggage fees and restrictions
Less flexibility for stops along the way

At a Glance

Drive Fly
Door-to-door time 1h 39m 3h 3m
Total cost (1 person) $50 $122
Carbon footprint 28 kg CO2 14 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
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 18, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest
68.7 mi 1h 39m

via FL 50, US 301, FL 408 Toll

Alternative (+2 min)
78.6 mi 1h 41m

via I 4, US 98, FL 52

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