Drive or Fly: St. Petersburg, FL to Fuller Heights, 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–LAL. At 52 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 14m

Distance

52.2 mi

Total Cost

$47

CO2

21 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$12

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 29m

5m in the air

Air Distance

43 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

11 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

St. Petersburg, FL → PIE 14m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 5m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

LAL → Fuller Heights, FL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

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

Fuller Heights, FL LAL — Lakeland Linder International Airport 6 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between PIE 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

2h 30m

1h 25m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

3 kg

Route

Amtrak Thruway Connecting Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

St. Petersburg, FL → St. Petersburg 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 85m

Arrival 10m

Lakeland Amtrak Station → Fuller Heights, FL 15m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $9) $9

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

Stations

From St. Petersburg 5 mi, ~10m drive

To Lakeland Amtrak Station 10 mi, ~15m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~1/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 1 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	1h 14m	2h 29m	2h 30m
Total cost (1 person)	$47	$122	$9
Carbon footprint	21 kg CO₂	11 kg CO₂	3 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 — 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.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

52.2 mi 1h 13m

via FL 60, FL 618 Toll, FL 694

Alternative (+1 min)

53.2 mi 1h 15m

via I 275, FL 60, FL 618 Toll

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from St. Petersburg, FL to Fuller Heights, FL with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.