Drive or Fly: Highland Beach, FL to Tampa, 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 PBI–TPA. At 220 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

4h 34m

Distance

220.9 mi

Total Cost

$84

CO2

89 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$49

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 2m

22m in the air

Air Distance

182 mi

Total Cost

$182

CO2

46 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Highland Beach, FL → PBI 30m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 22m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

TPA → Tampa, FL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $127) $127

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Highland Beach, FL PBI — Palm Beach International Airport 20 mi, ~30m drive

Tampa, FL TPA — Tampa International Airport 5 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between PBI and TPA. 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

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

5h 18m

4h 18m on rail

Total Cost

$36

CO2

10 kg

Route

Floridian

Door-to-Door Timeline

Highland Beach, FL → Delray Beach Amtrak 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 258m

Arrival 10m

Tampa → Tampa, FL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $36) $36

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

Stations

From Delray Beach Amtrak 4 mi, ~10m drive

To Tampa 1 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~2/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 2 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	4h 34m	3h 2m	5h 18m
Total cost (1 person)	$84	$182	$36
Carbon footprint	89 kg CO₂	46 kg CO₂	10 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 — 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 Highland Beach, FL to Tampa, FL with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.