Drive or Fly: St. Petersburg, FL to Avon Park, 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 PIE–FLL. At 244 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

4h 31m

Distance

244.6 mi

Total Cost

$89

CO2

99 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$54

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 47m

23m in the air

Air Distance

194 mi

Total Cost

$183

CO2

49 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

St. Petersburg, FL → PIE 14m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 23m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

FLL → Avon Park, FL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $128) $128

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

St. Petersburg, FL PIE — St. Petersburg Clearwater International Airport 10 mi, ~14m drive

Avon Park, FL FLL — Fort Lauderdale Hollywood International Airport 2 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between PIE and FLL. 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

5h 58m

5h 13m on road

Total Cost

$21

CO2

11 kg

Route

FlixBus 2421

Door-to-Door Timeline

St. Petersburg, FL → St. Petersburg (FL) (4SP) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 313m

Arrival 10m

Fort Lauderdale International Airport (4FA) → Avon Park, FL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $21) $21

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

Stations

From 4SP — St. Petersburg (FL) 2 mi, ~10m drive

To 4FA — Fort Lauderdale International Airport 2 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	Bus
Door-to-door time	4h 31m	2h 47m	5h 58m
Total cost (1 person)	$89	$183	$21
Carbon footprint	99 kg CO₂	49 kg CO₂	11 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: 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 St. Petersburg, FL to Avon Park, FL with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.