Drive or Fly: Pembroke Pines, FL to Fort Meade, 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 186 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

3h 59m

Distance

186.6 mi

Total Cost

$76

CO2

75 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$41

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 1m

19m in the air

Air Distance

155 mi

Total Cost

$126

CO2

40 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Pembroke Pines, FL → FLL 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 19m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

LAL → Fort Meade, FL 32m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Airports

Pembroke Pines, FL FLL — Fort Lauderdale Hollywood International Airport 7 mi, ~10m drive

Fort Meade, FL LAL — Lakeland Linder International Airport 21 mi, ~32m 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

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

4h 42m

3h 25m on rail

Total Cost

$34

CO2

10 kg

Route

Floridian

Door-to-Door Timeline

Pembroke Pines, FL → Hollywood Amtrak Station 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 205m

Arrival 10m

Winter Haven → Fort Meade, FL 27m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $34) $34

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

Stations

From Hollywood Amtrak Station 4 mi, ~10m drive

To Winter Haven 18 mi, ~27m 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

4h 30m

3h 45m on road

Total Cost

$17

CO2

9 kg

Route

Greyhound US0761S

Door-to-Door Timeline

Pembroke Pines, FL → Hollywood Sheridan Trirail Station (HOL6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 225m

Arrival 10m

Ft Meade (Community Ctr) (FOT6) → Fort Meade, FL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $17) $17

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

Stations

From HOL6 — Hollywood Sheridan Trirail Station 4 mi, ~10m drive

To FOT6 — Ft Meade (Community Ctr) 0 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	3h 59m	3h 1m	4h 42m	4h 30m
Total cost (1 person)	$76	$126	$34	$17
Carbon footprint	75 kg CO₂	40 kg CO₂	10 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 12, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Pembroke Pines, FL to Fort Meade, FL with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.