Drive or Fly: Jacksonville, FL to Key West, 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 JAX–EYW. At 502 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

10h 16m

Distance

502.6 mi

Total Cost

$286

CO2

203 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$106

Hotel (1 room, 1 night) $110

Meals (1 pax, 2 days) $70

+ No luggage restrictions or TSA lines

+ Stop anywhere along the route

+ Have your own car at the destination

− Requires 2 days of driving

− Driver fatigue on longer stretches

− Wear and tear on vehicle

− Fuel price fluctuations

Plan the drive

Fly

Door to Door

3h 15m

48m in the air

Air Distance

399 mi

Total Cost

$191

CO2

102 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Jacksonville, FL → JAX 17m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 48m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

EYW → Key West, FL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $136) $136

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Jacksonville, FL JAX — Jacksonville International Airport 11 mi, ~17m drive

Key West, FL EYW — Key West International Airport 1 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between JAX and EYW. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 7h 1m 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly
Door-to-door time	10h 16m	3h 15m
Total cost (1 person)	$286	$191
Carbon footprint	203 kg CO₂	102 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

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

502.6 mi 10h 15m

via I 95, US 1, Florida's Turnpike

Alternative (+79 min)

533.6 mi 11h 34m

via US 1, US 27, I 95

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