Drive or Fly: Fort Lauderdale, FL to Satellite 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–MLB. At 161 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 14m

Distance

161.5 mi

Total Cost

$71

CO2

65 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$36

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 37m

17m in the air

Air Distance

145 mi

Total Cost

$126

CO2

37 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Fort Lauderdale, FL → FLL 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 17m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MLB → Satellite Beach, FL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Airports

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

Satellite Beach, FL MLB — Melbourne Orlando International Airport 6 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between FLL and MLB. 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

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

6h 14m

4h 9m on rail

Total Cost

$34

CO2

10 kg

Route

Silver Meteor

Door-to-Door Timeline

Fort Lauderdale, FL → Fort Lauderdale Amtrak Station 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 249m

Arrival 10m

Kissimmee Amtrak Station → Satellite Beach, FL 75m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $34) $34

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

Stations

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

To Kissimmee Amtrak Station 50 mi, ~75m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~12/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 12 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

3h 55m

3h 10m on road

Total Cost

$16

CO2

8 kg

Route

Greyhound US0630

Door-to-Door Timeline

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

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 190m

Arrival 10m

Melbourne (RaceTrac) (MBN6) → Satellite Beach, FL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $16) $16

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

Stations

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

To MBN6 — Melbourne (RaceTrac) 5 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	Train	Bus
Door-to-door time	3h 14m	2h 37m	6h 14m	3h 55m
Total cost (1 person)	$71	$126	$34	$16
Carbon footprint	65 kg CO₂	37 kg CO₂	10 kg CO₂	8 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

161.5 mi 3h 14m

via Florida's Turnpike, I 95, FL 518

Alternative (+1 min)

168 mi 3h 15m

via I 95, FL 518

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