Drive or Fly: Fort Lauderdale, FL to Ponte Vedra Beach, 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 FLL–UST. At 313 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

6h 2m

Distance

313.9 mi

Total Cost

$104

CO2

127 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$69

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 14m

35m in the air

Air Distance

294 mi

Total Cost

$187

CO2

75 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Fort Lauderdale, FL → FLL 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 35m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

UST → Ponte Vedra Beach, FL 29m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $132) $132

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Fort Lauderdale, FL FLL — Fort Lauderdale Hollywood International Airport 4 mi, ~10m drive

Ponte Vedra Beach, FL UST — Northeast Florida Regional Airport 20 mi, ~29m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between FLL and UST. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 2h 48m compared to driving

+ 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

9h 29m

8h 6m on rail

Total Cost

$62

CO2

18 kg

Route

Silver Meteor

Door-to-Door Timeline

Fort Lauderdale, FL → Fort Lauderdale Amtrak Station 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 486m

Arrival 10m

Jacksonville → Ponte Vedra Beach, FL 33m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $62) $62

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

Stations

From Fort Lauderdale Amtrak Station 2 mi, ~10m drive

To Jacksonville 22 mi, ~33m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~12/week

+ Spacious seating with legroom and power outlets

+ Walk around freely during the trip

+ Scenic views along the route

+ No driving fatigue — relax or work en route

+ Much lower carbon footprint than driving or flying

− Limited schedule — about 12 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

8h 55m

7h 53m on road

Total Cost

$34

CO2

18 kg

Route

FlixBus 2431

Door-to-Door Timeline

Fort Lauderdale, FL → Ft Lauderdale Broward Park & Ride (FTL6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 473m

Arrival 10m

Jacksonville (Downtown) (JAX6) → Ponte Vedra Beach, FL 27m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $34) $34

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

Stations

From FTL6 — Ft Lauderdale Broward Park & Ride 2 mi, ~10m drive

To JAX6 — Jacksonville (Downtown) 18 mi, ~27m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~14/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	6h 2m	3h 14m	9h 29m	8h 55m
Total cost (1 person)	$104	$187	$62	$34
Carbon footprint	127 kg CO₂	75 kg CO₂	18 kg CO₂	18 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

313.9 mi 6h 2m

via I 95, Florida's Turnpike, CR 210

Alternative (+1 min)

320.4 mi 6h 3m

via I 95, CR 210

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Fort Lauderdale, FL to Ponte Vedra Beach, FL with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.