Drive or Fly: Sun City Center, FL to Hialeah, 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 TPA–OPF. At 248 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

4h 34m

Distance

248.3 mi

Total Cost

$90

CO2

100 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$55

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 4m

22m in the air

Air Distance

181 mi

Total Cost

$182

CO2

46 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Sun City Center, FL → TPA 32m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 22m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

OPF → Hialeah, FL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $127) $127

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Sun City Center, FL TPA — Tampa International Airport 21 mi, ~32m drive

Hialeah, FL OPF — Miami-Opa Locka Executive Airport 3 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between TPA and OPF. 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

7h 40m

6h 38m on road

Total Cost

$22

CO2

12 kg

Route

FlixBus 2421

Door-to-Door Timeline

Sun City Center, FL → Tampa Bus Station (TPA6) 27m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 398m

Arrival 10m

Miami Intermodal Center (MID6) → Hialeah, FL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $22) $22

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

Stations

From TPA6 — Tampa Bus Station 18 mi, ~27m drive

To MID6 — Miami Intermodal Center 4 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~28/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 34m	3h 4m	7h 40m
Total cost (1 person)	$90	$182	$22
Carbon footprint	100 kg CO₂	46 kg CO₂	12 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 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

248.3 mi 4h 34m

via I 75

Alternative (+44 min)

262 mi 5h 19m

via Florida's Turnpike, FL 60, FL 674

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Sun City Center, FL to Hialeah, FL with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.