Drive or Fly: North Miami Beach, FL to Tampa, 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 OPF–TPA. At 269 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

Distance

269.9 mi

Total Cost

$95

CO2

109 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$60

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 45m

24m in the air

Air Distance

198 mi

Total Cost

$183

CO2

51 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

North Miami Beach, FL → OPF 11m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 24m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

TPA → Tampa, FL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $128) $128

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

North Miami Beach, FL OPF — Miami-Opa Locka Executive Airport 7 mi, ~11m drive

Tampa, FL TPA — Tampa International Airport 5 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between OPF and TPA. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 2h 15m compared to driving

+ 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

6h 2m

5h 2m on rail

Total Cost

$39

CO2

11 kg

Route

Floridian

Door-to-Door Timeline

North Miami Beach, FL → Hollywood Amtrak Station 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 302m

Arrival 10m

Tampa → Tampa, FL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $39) $39

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

Stations

From Hollywood Amtrak Station 5 mi, ~10m drive

To Tampa 1 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

6h 55m

6h 10m on road

Total Cost

$22

CO2

11 kg

Route

FlixBus 2421

Door-to-Door Timeline

North Miami Beach, FL → Miami Golden Glades (4MN) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 370m

Arrival 10m

Tampa Bus Station (TPA6) → Tampa, FL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $22) $22

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

Stations

From 4MN — Miami Golden Glades 3 mi, ~10m drive

To TPA6 — Tampa Bus Station 1 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	5h	2h 45m	6h 2m	6h 55m
Total cost (1 person)	$95	$183	$39	$22
Carbon footprint	109 kg CO₂	51 kg CO₂	11 kg CO₂	11 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.

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