Drive or Fly: Rock Island, FL to Jacksonville, 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–JAX. At 317 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

5h 56m

Distance

317.8 mi

Total Cost

$105

CO2

128 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$70

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

36m in the air

Air Distance

302 mi

Total Cost

$187

CO2

77 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Rock Island, FL → FLL 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 36m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

JAX → Jacksonville, FL 17m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $132) $132

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Rock Island, FL FLL — Fort Lauderdale Hollywood International Airport 6 mi, ~10m drive

Jacksonville, FL JAX — Jacksonville International Airport 11 mi, ~17m drive

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Saves about 2h 53m 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

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

9h 6m

8h 6m on rail

Total Cost

$62

CO2

18 kg

Route

Silver Meteor

Door-to-Door Timeline

Rock Island, FL → Fort Lauderdale Amtrak Station 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 486m

Arrival 10m

Jacksonville → Jacksonville, FL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $62) $62

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

Stations

From Fort Lauderdale Amtrak Station 3 mi, ~10m drive

To Jacksonville 5 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~12/week

+ Spacious seating with legroom and power outlets

+ Walk around freely during the trip

+ Scenic views along the route

+ No driving fatigue — relax or work en route

+ Much lower carbon footprint than driving or flying

− Limited schedule — about 12 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

8h 38m

7h 53m on road

Total Cost

$34

CO2

18 kg

Route

FlixBus 2431

Door-to-Door Timeline

Rock Island, FL → Ft Lauderdale Broward Park & Ride (FTL6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 473m

Arrival 10m

Jacksonville (Downtown) (JAX6) → Jacksonville, FL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $34) $34

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

Stations

From FTL6 — Ft Lauderdale Broward Park & Ride 2 mi, ~10m drive

To JAX6 — Jacksonville (Downtown) 1 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~14/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	5h 56m	3h 3m	9h 6m	8h 38m
Total cost (1 person)	$105	$187	$62	$34
Carbon footprint	128 kg CO₂	77 kg CO₂	18 kg CO₂	18 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 17, 2026.

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