Drive or Fly: Stock Island, FL to Fort Lauderdale, 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 EYW–FLL. At 185 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:
Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

4h 29m

Distance

185.6 mi

Total Cost

$76

CO2

75 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$41
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 38m

18m in the air

Air Distance

147 mi

Total Cost

$126

CO2

37 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Stock Island, FL → EYW 10m
Check-in & Security 90m
Flight 18m
Arrival & Baggage 30m
FLL → Fort Lauderdale, FL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Airports

Stock Island, FL EYW — Key West International Airport 2 mi, ~10m drive
Fort Lauderdale, FL FLL — Fort Lauderdale Hollywood International Airport 4 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between EYW 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
Luggage fees and restrictions
Less flexibility for stops along the way

At a Glance

Drive Fly
Door-to-door time 4h 29m 2h 38m
Total cost (1 person) $76 $126
Carbon footprint 75 kg CO2 37 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 13, 2026.

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