I need to move Mom from Florida to Maryland. Any advice?

Air travel if medically OK can be reasonably pleasant when you get special attention for special needs. I flew with my Mom from Pgh PA to LIttle Rock AR on Southwest with a stop in Chicago and she liked it and said she wanted to do it again. They provided wonderful help for no extra charge - someone waited with her while I returned the rental car, we got priority boarding and the first or second row seat was open. Transfers were a bit hairy because of the small space - she used her walker and a lot of assist from me and an attendant who then stowed her wheelchair, but she was quite weak and weighed near 200 lbs. I had also investigated medical van transports and they were all pretty pricey, and a wheelchair van rental you would drive yourself isn't cheap either. If you decide to drive, it would be real important to have someone who could tend to Mom while you focus on driving or vice versa. If she can transfer OK (does she just use the wheelchair more due to low endurance and stamina, can she weight bear and take a few steps at least?) and weather is good, you can plan enough stops and just manage with an ordinary passenger vehicle - just make sure the wheelchair fits in the trunk first. Buses may not give you any flexibility to stop over for breaks, toileting would be a problem, and they take the longest times typically. Trains can be pleasant and care en route might be very manageable if there is a direct route - check the layout of the cars and the accessibility at the stations you would use though.

If you drive maybe you can rent a van? More room to navigate for any helper you may have. We used to rent a van for long trips when our daughter was a toddler, if you stop they have some room and don't feel so constrained.

Will the doctor clear her to fly, givent the heart issues? I hate flying for the elderly, planes are germ factories.
I would plan on anxiety meds, to ease a slow, long car ride with frequent stops. preferrably you, mom and one more person to help.

Thanks to all, she only has mild dementia, but I think the plane would be the best bet. I am going to have to come back down & drive their car along with the dog;)0

Why are you guys saying she has dementia? That's not mentioned in the post or in Mimix2's profile.

Mimix2 I don't have a great answer for you, but the fastest way would certainly be plane. I'd fly down and fly back with her if it was me. Get help from the airlines with getting her to and from gates, get a direct flight (first class if you can afford it) and it should be reasonably easy. You might consider a very mild sedative if your mom would get super anxious. But I'd certainly speak to her doctor about that first. And see if her doc would have any reason to discourage an airplane flight.

I think no matter how you transport her, it will be difficult, especially if she has Dementia. I think a plane would be better if someone could escort her and she could medically handle it, since it would be much faster. I would ask her doctor. Good luck and I'm sorry you lost your dear Dad.

I and all her family lives up North, she will get better care and move in with us. Now that my Dad died, she has no one in Florida, it is better to be surrounded by her family.

Often the patient wants to "go back home" and you should not give in to that fantasy. In dementia, they think they can somehow be normal again by returning to a previous residence. It's a delusion that should not be catered to. Certainly she needs meds for anxiety and possibly depression. She senses she is near the end and wants to go back. There is no going back. Read here and you will find all too many cases of bad moves. They become MORE anxious, more confused and then blame YOU for moving them.