Drive or Fly: Miami, FL to Palm Springs, 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 MIA–PBI. At 65 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 22m

Distance

65 mi

Total Cost

$49

CO2

26 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$14

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 27m

7m in the air

Air Distance

60 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

15 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Miami, FL → MIA 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 7m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

PBI → Palm Springs, FL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

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

Palm Springs, FL PBI — Palm Beach International Airport 3 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MIA and PBI. 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

2h 30m

1h 30m on rail

Total Cost

$12

CO2

4 kg

Route

Floridian

Door-to-Door Timeline

Miami, FL → Miami Amtrak Station 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 90m

Arrival 10m

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

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $12) $12

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

Stations

From Miami Amtrak Station 7 mi, ~10m drive

To West Palm Beach Amtrak Station 6 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

2h 50m

2h 5m on road

Total Cost

CO2

4 kg

Route

FlixBus 2431

Door-to-Door Timeline

Miami, FL → Downtown Miami (4DM) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 125m

Arrival 10m

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

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $7) $7

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

Stations

From 4DM — Downtown Miami 1 mi, ~10m drive

To WPB — West Palm Beach Bus Station 6 mi, ~10m 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	1h 22m	2h 27m	2h 30m	2h 50m
Total cost (1 person)	$49	$122	$12	$7
Carbon footprint	26 kg CO₂	15 kg CO₂	4 kg CO₂	4 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 16, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

65 mi 1h 21m

via I 95

Alternative (+5 min)

67 mi 1h 27m

via Florida's Turnpike, I 95, FL 802

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