Drive or Fly: Miami, FL to Royal Palm Estates, 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 67 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:
Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

1h 25m

Distance

67.9 mi

Total Cost

$50

CO2

27 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$15
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 28m

8m in the air

Air Distance

63 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

16 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Miami, FL → MIA 10m
Check-in & Security 90m
Flight 8m
Arrival & Baggage 30m
PBI → Royal Palm Estates, FL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Miami, FL MIA — Miami International Airport 6 mi, ~10m drive
Royal Palm Estates, FL PBI — Palm Beach International Airport 2 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

3h 10m

1h 30m on rail

Total Cost

$12

CO2

4 kg

Route

Floridian

Door-to-Door Timeline

Miami, FL → Miami Amtrak Station 30m
Boarding 30m
Train ride 90m
Arrival 10m
West Palm Beach Amtrak Station → Royal Palm Estates, FL 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $12) $12

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

Stations

From Miami Amtrak Station 0 mi, ~30m drive
To West Palm Beach Amtrak Station 0 mi, ~30m 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

3h 30m

2h 5m on road

Total Cost

$7

CO2

4 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Miami, FL → Downtown Miami (4DM) 30m
Boarding 15m
Bus ride 125m
Arrival 10m
West Palm Beach Bus Station (WPB) → Royal Palm Estates, FL 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $7) $7

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

Stations

From 4DM — Downtown Miami 0 mi, ~30m drive
To WPB — West Palm Beach Bus Station 0 mi, ~30m 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 25m 2h 28m 3h 10m 3h 30m
Total cost (1 person) $50 $123 $12 $7
Carbon footprint 27 kg CO2 16 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 12, 2026.

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