Drive or Fly: Pembroke Pines, FL to Panama City, 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–ECP. At 564 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

10h 36m

Distance

564.2 mi

Total Cost

$305

CO2

228 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$125

Hotel (1 room, 1 night) $110

Meals (1 pax, 2 days) $70

+ No luggage restrictions or TSA lines

+ Stop anywhere along the route

+ Have your own car at the destination

− Requires 2 days of driving

− Driver fatigue on longer stretches

− Wear and tear on vehicle

− Fuel price fluctuations

Plan the drive

Fly

Door to Door

3h 27m

53m in the air

Air Distance

438 mi

Total Cost

$193

CO2

112 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Pembroke Pines, FL → FLL 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 53m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

ECP → Panama City, FL 24m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $138) $138

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

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

Panama City, FL ECP — Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport 16 mi, ~24m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between FLL and ECP. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 7h 9m compared to driving

+ 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly
Door-to-door time	10h 36m	3h 27m
Total cost (1 person)	$305	$193
Carbon footprint	228 kg CO₂	112 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 17, 2026.

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