Drive or Fly: Jacksonville 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

Short enough to drive comfortably in a day. Airport overhead makes flying slower door-to-door. Available flights require a connection, adding time and cost.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

6h 29m

Distance

345.9 mi

Total Cost

$100

CO2

140 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$65

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 21m

38m in the air

Air Distance

321 mi

Total Cost

$188

CO2

82 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Jacksonville Beach, FL → JAX 33m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 38m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MIA → Miami, FL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $133) $133

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Jacksonville Beach, FL JAX — Jacksonville International Airport 22 mi, ~33m drive

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

Flight Data

Service

Connecting only

On-Time

100.0%

+ Saves about 3h 8m compared to driving

+ Less physical fatigue

+ Predictable arrival time

− Airport security and check-in overhead

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

10h 50m

9h 10m on rail

Total Cost

$65

CO2

20 kg

Route

Silver Meteor

Door-to-Door Timeline

Jacksonville Beach, FL → Jacksonville (JAX) 30m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 550m

Arrival 10m

Miami Amtrak Station (MIA) → Miami, FL 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $65) $65

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

Stations

From JAX — Jacksonville 0 mi, ~30m drive

To MIA — Miami Amtrak Station 0 mi, ~30m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~10/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 10 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

10h 30m

9h 5m on road

Total Cost

$36

CO2

20 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Jacksonville Beach, FL → Jacksonville (Downtown) (JAX6) 30m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 545m

Arrival 10m

Miami Intermodal Center (MID6) → Miami, FL 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $36) $36

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

Stations

From JAX6 — Jacksonville (Downtown) 0 mi, ~30m drive

To MID6 — Miami Intermodal Center 0 mi, ~30m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~16/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 29m	3h 21m	10h 50m	10h 30m
Total cost (1 person)	$100	$188	$65	$36
Carbon footprint	140 kg CO₂	82 kg CO₂	20 kg CO₂	20 kg CO₂
Flexibility	High	Low
Luggage	Unlimited	Restricted
Reliability	Weather dependent	100% on-time

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 Jul 20, 2026.

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