Drive or Fly: North Miami, FL to Miami Beach, 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–MIA. At 13 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

24m

Distance

13.3 mi

Total Cost

$38

CO2

5 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$3

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 26m

1m in the air

Air Distance

8 mi

Total Cost

$120

CO2

2 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

North Miami, FL → OPF 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 1m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MIA → Miami Beach, FL 15m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $120) $120

Airports

North Miami, FL OPF — Miami-Opa Locka Executive Airport 6 mi, ~10m drive

Miami Beach, FL MIA — Miami International Airport 10 mi, ~15m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between OPF 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

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

1h 10m

25m on road

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

FlixBus N2411

Door-to-Door Timeline

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

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 25m

Arrival 10m

Miami Beach (4SB) → Miami Beach, FL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $1) $1

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

Stations

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

To 4SB — Miami Beach 2 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~8/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 8 trips per week

− Travel time longer than driving

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Bus
Door-to-door time	24m	2h 26m	1h 10m
Total cost (1 person)	$38	$120	$1
Carbon footprint	5 kg CO₂	2 kg CO₂	1 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: 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 15, 2026.

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