Drive or Fly: Longwood, FL to Miami, 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 SFB–MIA. At 248 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

4h 45m

Distance

248.4 mi

Total Cost

$90

CO2

100 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$55

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 48m

26m in the air

Air Distance

214 mi

Total Cost

$184

CO2

55 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Longwood, FL → SFB 12m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 26m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MIA → Miami, FL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $129) $129

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Longwood, FL SFB — Orlando Sanford International Airport 8 mi, ~12m drive

Miami, FL MIA — Miami International Airport 6 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between SFB and MIA. 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

7h 19m

6h 18m on rail

Total Cost

$40

CO2

12 kg

Route

Silver Meteor

Door-to-Door Timeline

Longwood, FL → Winter Park Amtrak Station 11m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 378m

Arrival 10m

Miami Amtrak Station → Miami, FL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $40) $40

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

Stations

From Winter Park Amtrak Station 7 mi, ~11m drive

To Miami Amtrak Station 7 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

5h 55m

5h 3m on road

Total Cost

$23

CO2

12 kg

Route

FlixBus 2411

Door-to-Door Timeline

Longwood, FL → Orlando Bus Station (ORL6) 17m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 303m

Arrival 10m

Downtown Miami (4DM) → Miami, FL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $23) $23

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

Stations

From ORL6 — Orlando Bus Station 12 mi, ~17m drive

To 4DM — Downtown Miami 1 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	4h 45m	2h 48m	7h 19m	5h 55m
Total cost (1 person)	$90	$184	$40	$23
Carbon footprint	100 kg CO₂	55 kg CO₂	12 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: 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 13, 2026.

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