How far is Fort Lauderdale, FL from Panama City Beach, FL?

The driving distance from Fort Lauderdale, FL to Panama City Beach, FL is about 562.7 miles (905.5 km), with a travel time of about 10h 43m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 444.2 miles (714.9 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 21h 26m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM EDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
562.65 mi
10h 43m
Flight
444.23 mi
714.92 km direct

This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Fort Lauderdale.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
444.23 mi
Kilometers
714.92 km
Flight Time
00h 53m

Driving Distance

Road route
562.65 mi
Kilometers
905.5 km
Drive Time
10h 43m

Gas Cost Calculator

Leave and Arrive Planner

Pick a departure time to see your estimated arrival and same-day return window.

Drive time stays fixed at 10h 43m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Panama City Beach
Thu, Apr 23, 12:20 PM CDT
Return by in Fort Lauderdale
Fri, Apr 24, 12:03 AM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Fort Lauderdale
2026-04-23T02:36
Arrive Panama City Beach
Thu, Apr 23, 1:20 PM EDT
Route Timing
10h 43m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 7:30 AM EDT
Treat this as a longer travel day
Arrive between
3:43 PM to 5:13 PM CDT

Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.

Leave by
2:34 PM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 08h 00m at the destination.
Back in Fort Lauderdale
8:00 PM EDT
Overnight-style route

You are leaving earlier than the recommended window, which gives you extra margin for breaks and traffic.

Halfway Point

A useful midpoint for breaks, coffee, or meeting in the middle.

Mid-route stop
Reddick
FL

Town in Marion County, Florida, United States

From Fort Lauderdale
281.5 mi
05h 21m
To Panama City Beach
281.1 mi
05h 21m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
77°F
Thursday

Mostly Cloudy

Starts
Thu, Apr 23 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
7 to 13 mph E
Destination
Panama City Beach Weather
FL
Live fallback forecast
75°F
Thursday
Using Upper Grand Lagoon as the closest live forecast in the Bay County weather hub.

Sunny

Starts
Thu, Apr 23 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
5 to 15 mph SE

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Fort Lauderdale and Panama City Beach.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Fort Lauderdale and Panama City Beach.

  1. 1

    Start on East Broward Boulevard

    1 km · 1 min · East Broward Boulevard

  2. 2

    Turn right onto Northwest 9th Avenue

    2.9 mi · 5 min · Northwest 9th Avenue

  3. 3

    Continue on Powerline Road

    1.1 mi · 2 min · Powerline Road

  4. 4

    Continue on South Powerline Road

    2.4 mi · 5 min · South Powerline Road

  5. 5

    Continue on South Pompano Parkway

    1 mi · 2 min · South Pompano Parkway

  6. 6

    Turn left onto West Atlantic Boulevard

    2984 ft · 1 min · West Atlantic Boulevard

  7. 7

    Turn right onto Northwest 31st Avenue

    1.5 km · 2 min · Northwest 31st Avenue

  8. 8

    Continue on Florida's Turnpike Toll, Miami, Orlando

    610 ft · 17 sec

  9. 9

    Keep slight right to continue on Orlando, Florida's Turnpike North

    1761 ft · 43 sec

  10. 10

    Merge slight left onto Florida's Turnpike

    240.4 mi · 4 hr 20 min · Florida's Turnpike

  11. 11

    Keep slight left to continue on Florida's Turnpike

    1281 ft · 16 sec · Florida's Turnpike

  12. 12

    Merge slight left

    106.9 mi · 1 hr 55 min

  13. 13

    Take the exit slight right toward I 10: Jacksonville, Tallahassee

    820 ft · 16 sec

  14. 14

    Keep slight left to continue on I 10 West: Tallahassee

    1569 ft · 30 sec

  15. 15

    Merge slight right

    121.8 mi · 2 hr 11 min

  16. 16

    Take the exit slight right toward FL 12: Gretna, Greensboro

    1341 ft · 46 sec

  17. 17

    Keep slight left to continue on FL `12 South: Greensboro

    112 m · 11 sec

  18. 18

    Turn straight onto Greensboro Highway

    2.4 mi · 4 min · Greensboro Highway

  19. 19

    Continue on Selman Street

    3018 ft · 1 min · Selman Street

  20. 20

    Turn left onto Green Avenue

    2342 ft · 57 sec · Green Avenue

  21. 21

    Continue on Bristol Highway

    17.7 mi · 23 min · Bristol Highway

  22. 22

    At the end of the road, turn right

    28.4 mi · 39 min

  23. 23

    Turn left

    22.5 mi · 30 min

  24. 24

    Turn right onto East 23rd Street

    5.4 mi · 9 min · East 23rd Street

  25. 25

    Take the ramp slight left

    1693 ft · 43 sec

  26. 26

    Merge slight left

    2 mi · 3 min

  27. 27

    Continue on Front Beach Road

    2.6 mi · 5 min · Front Beach Road

  28. 28

    Turn left onto South Thomas Drive

    146 m · 15 sec · South Thomas Drive

  29. 29

    Turn right

    18 m · 4 sec

  30. 30

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Fort Lauderdale and Panama City Beach.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Long-distance drive

This route is long enough that fuel, rest stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single maneuver.

Directions
30 steps
14 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
7
4 merges, 3 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
5.3 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Florida's Turnpike
348 mi · 62%
I 10 West
122 mi · 22%
Bristol Highway
17.7 mi · 3%
East 23rd Street
7.64 mi · 1%
Northwest 9th Avenue
2.91 mi · 1%
Front Beach Road
2.62 mi
Longest Stretch

Florida's Turnpike

Merge slight left onto Florida's Turnpike

240 mi · 04h 20m

Route Summary

A quick read on whether this route feels easy, ambitious, or worth planning around.

Trip Read

Better with a longer stop

This route is long enough that most travelers will be better off planning an overnight stay or a more deliberate stop window.

Drive Time
10h 43m
Overnight route
Same-Day Return
21h 26m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+118.5 mi
444.2 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Reddick
05h 21m from Fort Lauderdale
Leave By
2:34 PM EDT
Overnight-style route
Weather Watch

Mostly Cloudy leaving Fort Lauderdale and Sunny near Panama City Beach.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Fort Lauderdale to Panama City Beach?

The road trip is about 562.7 miles (905.5 km) and usually takes 10h 43m in normal driving conditions.

Is this a same-day trip or an overnight route?

This route is long enough that most travelers will be better off planning an overnight stay or a more deliberate stop window.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Reddick is a useful midpoint, sitting about 281.5 miles from Fort Lauderdale and 281.1 miles from Panama City Beach.

How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?

The direct path is about 444.2 miles (714.9 km), while the road route adds roughly 118.5 extra miles because roads do not follow the straight air line.

When is the best time to leave for this route?

A good departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM EDT. Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $82.38 one way or $164.76 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 176.5 kg one way.

Do you cross a time zone on this route?

Yes. There is about a 1 hour time difference between Fort Lauderdale and Panama City Beach, so arrival and return times should be read in local time.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Mostly Cloudy around Fort Lauderdale and Sunny near Panama City Beach.

Stop Ideas Near Reddick

Useful break, food, and waypoint ideas within about 15 miles of the route midpoint.

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Reddick, so nearby transit and meeting points are shown instead.
Reviewed stop coverage is still thin around this midpoint, so practical transit waypoints are shown on the right.

Transit and Meeting Points

Useful pickup, handoff, or rendezvous points close to Reddick.

BUS

Ocala, Florida

20 mi away
531 Northeast First Ave
BUS

Gainesville, Florida

34 mi away
201 East University Ave.
BUS

Waldo, Florida

47 mi away
14648 NE 147th Avenue
BUS

The Villages-Lady Lake, FL

54 mi away
401 North US Highway 441

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Fort Lauderdale and Panama City Beach. Straight-line distance: 444.23 mi (714.92 km).

Fort Lauderdale

#1 Fort Lauderdale

The second most populous city in Broward County, Florida.

Population184,245
Coordinates26.1223100, -80.1433800
Altitude1
CountryUnited States
Panama City Beach

#2 Panama City Beach

City in the U.

Population12,337
Coordinates30.1765900, -85.8054900
Altitude3
CountryUnited States
Start: Fort Lauderdale (-80.14338, 26.12231)
End: Panama City Beach (-85.80549, 30.17659)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 906 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)18h 44m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)14h 04m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)11h 15m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)09h 22m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)08h 02m
80 mph (129 km/h)07h 01m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
19.86 gal
75.16 L · about $82.38
Round trip
$164.76
39.72 gal · 150.32 L
Estimated CO2
176.5 kg one way
Round trip: 353 kg / 778 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $4.15 $82.38 $164.76
Mid-grade $4.60 $91.28 $182.55
Premium $4.90 $97.23 $194.47
Diesel $4.35 $86.39 $172.78

Assumes 8.3 L/100 km (about 28.3 MPG). CO2 is an estimate and varies by vehicle, fuel blend, traffic, and terrain.

Prices in Florida · Apr 23, 2026

Please keep in mind that there is a 1 hour time gap between Fort Lauderdale, FL and Panama City Beach, FL. The current time in Fort Lauderdale is 02:36:53, although it is 01:36:53 in Panama City Beach.

Distance to Other Cities

Planning a road trip? See the full trip guide on Trip.ovh — stops, fuel costs, weather, and departure timing.

How did we calculate? Place names are translated into coordinates. The Haversine formula calculates straight-line distance; driving distance uses road network data.