Drive or Fly: Saint Augustine Shores, FL to Cape Coral, 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 UST–RSW. At 258 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

5h 42m

Distance

258.6 mi

Total Cost

$92

CO2

104 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$57

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

27m in the air

Air Distance

228 mi

Total Cost

$184

CO2

58 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Saint Augustine Shores, FL → UST 16m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 27m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

RSW → Cape Coral, FL 18m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $129) $129

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Saint Augustine Shores, FL UST — Northeast Florida Regional Airport 10 mi, ~16m drive

Cape Coral, FL RSW — Southwest Florida International Airport 12 mi, ~18m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between UST and RSW. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 2h 41m 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	5h 42m	3h 1m
Total cost (1 person)	$92	$184
Carbon footprint	104 kg CO₂	58 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

258.6 mi 5h 41m

via I 4, US 17, I 95

Alternative (+33 min)

307.2 mi 6h 15m

via I 75, FL 20, US 301

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Saint Augustine Shores, FL to Cape Coral, FL with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.