Drive or Fly: Lake Wales, FL to Palm Bay, 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 LAL–MLB. At 102 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

2h 8m

Distance

102.1 mi

Total Cost

$58

CO2

41 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$23

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 58m

7m in the air

Air Distance

62 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

16 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Lake Wales, FL → LAL 41m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 7m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MLB → Palm Bay, FL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

Lake Wales, FL LAL — Lakeland Linder International Airport 27 mi, ~41m drive

Palm Bay, FL MLB — Melbourne Orlando International Airport 6 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between LAL and MLB. 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

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

3h 2m

46m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

Silver Meteor

Door-to-Door Timeline

Lake Wales, FL → Winter Haven 17m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 46m

Arrival 10m

Kissimmee Amtrak Station → Palm Bay, FL 79m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $6) $6

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

Stations

From Winter Haven 11 mi, ~17m drive

To Kissimmee Amtrak Station 53 mi, ~79m 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	2h 8m	2h 58m	3h 2m
Total cost (1 person)	$58	$122	$6
Carbon footprint	41 kg CO₂	16 kg CO₂	2 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 Lake Wales, FL to Palm Bay, FL with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.