Drive or Fly: Jacksonville, FL to West Gate, 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–PBI. At 278 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

5h 10m

Distance

278 mi

Total Cost

$96

CO2

112 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$61

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 59m

32m in the air

Air Distance

268 mi

Total Cost

$186

CO2

68 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Jacksonville, FL → JAX 17m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 32m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

PBI → West Gate, FL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $131) $131

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

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

West Gate, FL PBI — Palm Beach International Airport 1 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Saves about 2h 11m 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 21m

7h 21m on rail

Total Cost

$54

CO2

16 kg

Route

Silver Meteor

Door-to-Door Timeline

Jacksonville, FL → Jacksonville 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 441m

Arrival 10m

West Palm Beach Amtrak Station → West Gate, FL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $54) $54

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

Stations

From Jacksonville 5 mi, ~10m drive

To West Palm Beach Amtrak Station 2 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~8/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 8 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

7h 45m

7h on road

Total Cost

$30

CO2

16 kg

Route

FlixBus 2431

Door-to-Door Timeline

Jacksonville, FL → Jacksonville (Downtown) (JAX6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 420m

Arrival 10m

West Palm Beach Bus Station (WPB) → West Gate, FL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $30) $30

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

Stations

From JAX6 — Jacksonville (Downtown) 1 mi, ~10m drive

To WPB — West Palm Beach Bus Station 2 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~14/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	Train	Bus
Door-to-door time	5h 10m	2h 59m	8h 21m	7h 45m
Total cost (1 person)	$96	$186	$54	$30
Carbon footprint	112 kg CO₂	68 kg CO₂	16 kg CO₂	16 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.

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