Drive or Fly: Margate, 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 FLL–MLB. At 138 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 41m

Distance

138.7 mi

Total Cost

$66

CO2

56 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$31

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 43m

15m in the air

Air Distance

126 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

32 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Margate, FL → FLL 18m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 15m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MLB → Palm Bay, FL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

Margate, FL FLL — Fort Lauderdale Hollywood International Airport 12 mi, ~18m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between FLL 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

6h 1m

3h 51m on rail

Total Cost

$32

CO2

9 kg

Route

Silver Meteor

Door-to-Door Timeline

Margate, FL → Deerfield Beach Amtrak Station 11m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 231m

Arrival 10m

Kissimmee Amtrak Station → Palm Bay, FL 79m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $32) $32

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

Stations

From Deerfield Beach Amtrak Station 7 mi, ~11m 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

4h 6m

3h 10m on road

Total Cost

$16

CO2

8 kg

Route

Greyhound US0630

Door-to-Door Timeline

Margate, FL → Ft Lauderdale Broward Park & Ride (FTL6) 13m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 190m

Arrival 10m

Melbourne (RaceTrac) (MBN6) → Palm Bay, FL 18m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $16) $16

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

Stations

From FTL6 — Ft Lauderdale Broward Park & Ride 9 mi, ~13m drive

To MBN6 — Melbourne (RaceTrac) 12 mi, ~18m 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	2h 41m	2h 43m	6h 1m	4h 6m
Total cost (1 person)	$66	$125	$32	$16
Carbon footprint	56 kg CO₂	32 kg CO₂	9 kg CO₂	8 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 18, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

138.7 mi 2h 40m

via Florida's Turnpike, I 95

Alternative (+6 min)

144.3 mi 2h 47m

via I 95, Florida's Turnpike

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