Drive or Fly: Palmetto Bay, FL to Orlando, 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–MCO. At 251 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

4h 47m

Distance

251.1 mi

Total Cost

$91

CO2

101 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$56

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 56m

25m in the air

Air Distance

212 mi

Total Cost

$183

CO2

54 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Palmetto Bay, FL → MIA 18m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 25m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MCO → Orlando, FL 13m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $128) $128

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Palmetto Bay, FL MIA — Miami International Airport 12 mi, ~18m drive

Orlando, FL MCO — Orlando International Airport 9 mi, ~13m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MIA and MCO. 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

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

6h 31m

5h 17m on rail

Total Cost

$39

CO2

11 kg

Route

Silver Meteor

Door-to-Door Timeline

Palmetto Bay, FL → Miami Amtrak Station 24m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 317m

Arrival 10m

Orlando → Orlando, FL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $39) $39

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

Stations

From Miami Amtrak Station 16 mi, ~24m drive

To Orlando 1 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~12/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 12 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

5h 50m

4h 56m on road

Total Cost

$22

CO2

12 kg

Route

FlixBus 2431

Door-to-Door Timeline

Palmetto Bay, FL → Miami Intermodal Center (MID6) 19m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 296m

Arrival 10m

Orlando Bus Station (ORL6) → Orlando, FL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $22) $22

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

Stations

From MID6 — Miami Intermodal Center 13 mi, ~19m drive

To ORL6 — Orlando Bus Station 2 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~21/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

− 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	4h 47m	2h 56m	6h 31m	5h 50m
Total cost (1 person)	$91	$183	$39	$22
Carbon footprint	101 kg CO₂	54 kg CO₂	11 kg CO₂	12 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 15, 2026.

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