Drive or Fly: Tampa, FL to Alva, 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–RSW. At 136 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 35m

Distance

136.9 mi

Total Cost

$65

CO2

55 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$30

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 45m

12m in the air

Air Distance

100 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

25 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Tampa, FL → TPA 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 12m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

RSW → Alva, FL 23m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

Tampa, FL TPA — Tampa International Airport 5 mi, ~10m drive

Alva, FL RSW — Southwest Florida International Airport 15 mi, ~23m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between TPA and RSW. 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

4h 49m

3h 40m on rail

Total Cost

$20

CO2

6 kg

Route

Amtrak Thruway Connecting Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

Tampa, FL → Tampa 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 220m

Arrival 10m

Fort Myers Amtrak Bus Stop → Alva, FL 19m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $20) $20

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

Stations

From Tampa 1 mi, ~10m drive

To Fort Myers Amtrak Bus Stop 13 mi, ~19m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~2/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 2 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

3h on road

Total Cost

$11

CO2

6 kg

Route

FlixBus 2421

Door-to-Door Timeline

Tampa, FL → Tampa Bus Station (TPA6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 180m

Arrival 10m

Fort Myers Bus Stop (FTM6) → Alva, FL 25m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $11) $11

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

Stations

From TPA6 — Tampa Bus Station 1 mi, ~10m drive

To FTM6 — Fort Myers Bus Stop 17 mi, ~25m 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	Train	Bus
Door-to-door time	2h 35m	2h 45m	4h 49m	4h
Total cost (1 person)	$65	$124	$20	$11
Carbon footprint	55 kg CO₂	25 kg CO₂	6 kg CO₂	6 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, 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 15, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Tampa, FL to Alva, FL with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.