Drive or Fly: Coral Gables, FL to St. Petersburg, 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 MIA–PIE. At 266 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

3h 52m

Distance

266.4 mi

Total Cost

$94

CO2

108 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$59

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 49m

25m in the air

Air Distance

205 mi

Total Cost

$183

CO2

52 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Coral Gables, FL → MIA 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 25m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

PIE → St. Petersburg, FL 14m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $128) $128

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Coral Gables, FL MIA — Miami International Airport 5 mi, ~10m drive

St. Petersburg, FL PIE — St. Petersburg Clearwater International Airport 10 mi, ~14m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MIA and PIE. 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

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

7h 2m

6h 17m on road

Total Cost

$22

CO2

12 kg

Route

FlixBus 2421

Door-to-Door Timeline

Coral Gables, FL → Miami Intermodal Center (MID6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 377m

Arrival 10m

St. Petersburg (FL) (4SP) → St. Petersburg, FL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $22) $22

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

Stations

From MID6 — Miami Intermodal Center 5 mi, ~10m drive

To 4SP — St. Petersburg (FL) 2 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~21/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	Bus
Door-to-door time	3h 52m	2h 49m	7h 2m
Total cost (1 person)	$94	$183	$22
Carbon footprint	108 kg CO₂	52 kg CO₂	12 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: 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 12, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Coral Gables, FL to St. Petersburg, FL with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.