Drive or Fly: Parkland, 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 200 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

4h 4m

Distance

200.2 mi

Total Cost

$79

CO2

81 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$44

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 55m

19m in the air

Air Distance

159 mi

Total Cost

$181

CO2

41 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Parkland, FL → FLL 26m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 19m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

LAL → Lakeland, FL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Parkland, FL FLL — Fort Lauderdale Hollywood International Airport 17 mi, ~26m 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

Parkland, 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	4h 4m	2h 55m	6h 24m
Total cost (1 person)	$79	$181	$33
Carbon footprint	81 kg CO₂	41 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 — 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 18, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

200.2 mi 4h 4m

via SR 91, FL 60, US 98

Alternative (+27 min)

200.4 mi 4h 31m

via US 98, FL 710, US 27; US 98

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