Drive or Fly: Apollo Beach, FL to Miami, 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–MIA. At 264 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

4h 56m

Distance

264.8 mi

Total Cost

$93

CO2

107 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$58

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 57m

23m in the air

Air Distance

194 mi

Total Cost

$183

CO2

50 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Apollo Beach, FL → TPA 24m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 23m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MIA → Miami, FL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $128) $128

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Apollo Beach, FL TPA — Tampa International Airport 16 mi, ~24m drive

Miami, FL MIA — Miami International Airport 6 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between TPA and MIA. 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

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

6h 35m

5h 26m on rail

Total Cost

$40

CO2

12 kg

Route

Floridian

Door-to-Door Timeline

Apollo Beach, FL → Tampa 19m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 326m

Arrival 10m

Miami Amtrak Station → Miami, FL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $40) $40

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

Stations

From Tampa 13 mi, ~19m drive

To Miami Amtrak Station 7 mi, ~10m 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

8h 3m

7h 8m on road

Total Cost

$23

CO2

12 kg

Route

FlixBus 2421

Door-to-Door Timeline

Apollo Beach, FL → Tampa Bus Station (TPA6) 20m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 428m

Arrival 10m

Downtown Miami (4DM) → Miami, FL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $23) $23

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

Stations

From TPA6 — Tampa Bus Station 13 mi, ~20m drive

To 4DM — Downtown Miami 1 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~21/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	4h 56m	2h 57m	6h 35m	8h 3m
Total cost (1 person)	$93	$183	$40	$23
Carbon footprint	107 kg CO₂	50 kg CO₂	12 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: 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 19, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

264.8 mi 4h 55m

via I 75, Florida's Turnpike, I 595

Alternative (+30 min)

269.1 mi 5h 26m

via Florida's Turnpike, FL 60, I 95

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