Drive or Fly: Palm Bay, FL to Miami Gardens, 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 MLB–OPF. At 159 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

3h 3m

Distance

159.4 mi

Total Cost

$70

CO2

64 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$35

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 38m

18m in the air

Air Distance

146 mi

Total Cost

$126

CO2

37 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Palm Bay, FL → MLB 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 18m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

OPF → Miami Gardens, FL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Airports

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

Miami Gardens, FL OPF — Miami-Opa Locka Executive Airport 3 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MLB and OPF. 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

7h 27m

5h 18m on rail

Total Cost

$37

CO2

11 kg

Route

Silver Meteor

Door-to-Door Timeline

Palm Bay, FL → Kissimmee Amtrak Station 79m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 318m

Arrival 10m

Miami Amtrak Station → Miami Gardens, FL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $37) $37

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

Stations

From Kissimmee Amtrak Station 53 mi, ~79m drive

To Miami Amtrak Station 6 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~8/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 8 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	3h 3m	2h 38m	7h 27m
Total cost (1 person)	$70	$126	$37
Carbon footprint	64 kg CO₂	37 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 — 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 13, 2026.

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