Drive or Fly: Hialeah, FL to Palatka, 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 OPF–UST. At 305 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

5h 54m

Distance

305 mi

Total Cost

$99

CO2

123 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$64

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 25m

33m in the air

Air Distance

275 mi

Total Cost

$186

CO2

70 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Hialeah, FL → OPF 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 33m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

UST → Palatka, FL 42m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $131) $131

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Hialeah, FL OPF — Miami-Opa Locka Executive Airport 3 mi, ~10m drive

Palatka, FL UST — Northeast Florida Regional Airport 28 mi, ~42m drive

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Saves about 2h 29m 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

8h 22m

7h 22m on rail

Total Cost

$55

CO2

16 kg

Route

Silver Meteor

Door-to-Door Timeline

Hialeah, FL → Miami Amtrak Station 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 442m

Arrival 10m

Palatka Amtrak → Palatka, FL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $55) $55

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

Stations

From Miami Amtrak Station 1 mi, ~10m drive

To Palatka Amtrak 0 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~10/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 10 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

8h 43m

7h 23m on road

Total Cost

$29

CO2

15 kg

Route

FlixBus 2431

Door-to-Door Timeline

Hialeah, FL → Miami Intermodal Center (MID6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 443m

Arrival 10m

Palm Coast Bus Stop (PLM6) → Palatka, FL 45m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $29) $29

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

Stations

From MID6 — Miami Intermodal Center 4 mi, ~10m drive

To PLM6 — Palm Coast Bus Stop 30 mi, ~45m 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	5h 54m	3h 25m	8h 22m	8h 43m
Total cost (1 person)	$99	$186	$55	$29
Carbon footprint	123 kg CO₂	70 kg CO₂	16 kg CO₂	15 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 Jun 3, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

305 mi 5h 53m

via I 95, Florida's Turnpike, FL 100

Alternative (+6 min)

310.7 mi 5h 59m

via I 95, FL 100, US 1

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