Drive or Fly: Palm Valley, 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

No scheduled commercial flights found for UST–MIA. At 334 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

6h 17m

Distance

334.6 mi

Total Cost

$109

CO2

135 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$74

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 11m

38m in the air

Air Distance

313 mi

Total Cost

$188

CO2

80 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Palm Valley, FL → UST 23m

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

Palm Valley, FL UST — Northeast Florida Regional Airport 15 mi, ~23m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Saves about 3h 6m 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

10h 36m

9h 10m on rail

Total Cost

$65

CO2

19 kg

Route

Silver Meteor

Door-to-Door Timeline

Palm Valley, FL → Jacksonville 36m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 550m

Arrival 10m

Miami Amtrak Station → Miami, FL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $65) $65

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

Stations

From Jacksonville 24 mi, ~36m drive

To Miami Amtrak Station 7 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~8/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 8 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

10h 20m

9h 15m on road

Total Cost

$36

CO2

19 kg

Route

FlixBus 2431

Door-to-Door Timeline

Palm Valley, FL → Jacksonville (Downtown) (JAX6) 30m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 555m

Arrival 10m

Downtown Miami (4DM) → Miami, FL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $36) $36

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

Stations

From JAX6 — Jacksonville (Downtown) 20 mi, ~30m drive

To 4DM — Downtown Miami 1 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	6h 17m	3h 11m	10h 36m	10h 20m
Total cost (1 person)	$109	$188	$65	$36
Carbon footprint	135 kg CO₂	80 kg CO₂	19 kg CO₂	19 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.

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