Drive or Fly: Tavares, FL to Lakeland, 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 SFB–LAL. At 62 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

1h 30m

Distance

62.3 mi

Total Cost

$49

CO2

25 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$14

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 2m

7m in the air

Air Distance

55 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

14 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Tavares, FL → SFB 45m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 7m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

LAL → Lakeland, FL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

Tavares, FL SFB — Orlando Sanford International Airport 30 mi, ~45m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between SFB 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

2h 4m

50m on road

Total Cost

CO2

3 kg

Route

FlixBus N2411

Door-to-Door Timeline

Tavares, FL → Orlando Bus Station (ORL6) 39m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 50m

Arrival 10m

Lakeland Gow B Fields Park & Ride (LKD6) → Lakeland, FL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $5) $5

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

Stations

From ORL6 — Orlando Bus Station 26 mi, ~39m drive

To LKD6 — Lakeland Gow B Fields Park & Ride 3 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~7/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

− Limited schedule — about 7 trips per week

− Travel time longer than driving

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Bus
Door-to-door time	1h 30m	3h 2m	2h 4m
Total cost (1 person)	$49	$122	$5
Carbon footprint	25 kg CO₂	14 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: 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 Tavares, FL to Lakeland, FL with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.