Drive or Fly: Palm Bay, FL to Wellington, 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–PBI. At 112 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 13m

Distance

112.9 mi

Total Cost

$60

CO2

46 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$25

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 36m

12m in the air

Air Distance

97 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

25 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Palm Bay, FL → MLB 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 12m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

PBI → Wellington, FL 14m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

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

Wellington, FL PBI — Palm Beach International Airport 9 mi, ~14m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MLB 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

5h 46m

3h 29m on rail

Total Cost

$27

CO2

8 kg

Route

Silver Meteor

Door-to-Door Timeline

Palm Bay, FL → Kissimmee Amtrak Station 79m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 209m

Arrival 10m

West Palm Beach Amtrak Station → Wellington, FL 18m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $27) $27

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

Stations

From Kissimmee Amtrak Station 53 mi, ~79m drive

To West Palm Beach Amtrak Station 12 mi, ~18m 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

3h 1m

2h on road

Total Cost

$12

CO2

6 kg

Route

Greyhound US0630

Door-to-Door Timeline

Palm Bay, FL → Melbourne (RaceTrac) (MBN6) 18m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 120m

Arrival 10m

West Palm Beach Bus Station (WPB) → Wellington, FL 18m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $12) $12

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

Stations

From MBN6 — Melbourne (RaceTrac) 12 mi, ~18m drive

To WPB — West Palm Beach Bus Station 12 mi, ~18m 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	2h 13m	2h 36m	5h 46m	3h 1m
Total cost (1 person)	$60	$124	$27	$12
Carbon footprint	46 kg CO₂	25 kg CO₂	8 kg CO₂	6 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 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

112.9 mi 2h 13m

via Florida's Turnpike, I 95, US 98; FL 80

Alternative (+4 min)

117.9 mi 2h 17m

via I 95, Florida's Turnpike, US 98; FL 80

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