Drive or Fly: Fort Lauderdale, FL to Saint Augustine Beach, 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 FLL–UST. At 281 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

5h 22m

Distance

281.8 mi

Total Cost

$97

CO2

114 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$62

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 55m

32m in the air

Air Distance

267 mi

Total Cost

$186

CO2

68 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Fort Lauderdale, FL → FLL 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 32m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

UST → Saint Augustine Beach, FL 13m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $131) $131

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Fort Lauderdale, FL FLL — Fort Lauderdale Hollywood International Airport 4 mi, ~10m drive

Saint Augustine Beach, FL UST — Northeast Florida Regional Airport 9 mi, ~13m drive

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Saves about 2h 27m 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 12m

6h 42m on rail

Total Cost

$52

CO2

15 kg

Route

Silver Meteor

Door-to-Door Timeline

Fort Lauderdale, FL → Fort Lauderdale Amtrak Station 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 402m

Arrival 10m

Palatka Amtrak → Saint Augustine Beach, FL 40m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $52) $52

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

Stations

From Fort Lauderdale Amtrak Station 2 mi, ~10m drive

To Palatka Amtrak 26 mi, ~40m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~12/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 12 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

7h 35m

6h 20m on road

Total Cost

$26

CO2

14 kg

Route

FlixBus 2431

Door-to-Door Timeline

Fort Lauderdale, FL → Ft Lauderdale Broward Park & Ride (FTL6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 380m

Arrival 10m

Palm Coast Bus Stop (PLM6) → Saint Augustine Beach, FL 40m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $26) $26

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

Stations

From FTL6 — Ft Lauderdale Broward Park & Ride 2 mi, ~10m drive

To PLM6 — Palm Coast Bus Stop 26 mi, ~40m 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 22m	2h 55m	8h 12m	7h 35m
Total cost (1 person)	$97	$186	$52	$26
Carbon footprint	114 kg CO₂	68 kg CO₂	15 kg CO₂	14 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 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

281.8 mi 5h 21m

via I 95, Florida's Turnpike, US 1

Alternative (+1 min)

288.3 mi 5h 22m

via I 95, US 1, SR A1A

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Fort Lauderdale, FL to Saint Augustine Beach, FL with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.