Drive or Fly: Pembroke Pines, FL to Saint Augustine 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 FLL–UST. At 291 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

5h 27m

Distance

291 mi

Total Cost

$99

CO2

118 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$64

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

33m in the air

Air Distance

273 mi

Total Cost

$186

CO2

70 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Pembroke Pines, FL → FLL 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 33m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

UST → Saint Augustine Beach, FL 13m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $131) $131

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Pembroke Pines, FL FLL — Fort Lauderdale Hollywood International Airport 7 mi, ~10m drive

Saint Augustine Beach, FL UST — Northeast Florida Regional Airport 9 mi, ~13m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between FLL and UST. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 2h 31m 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

8h 28m

6h 58m on rail

Total Cost

$53

CO2

15 kg

Route

Silver Meteor

Door-to-Door Timeline

Pembroke Pines, FL → Hollywood Amtrak Station 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 418m

Arrival 10m

Palatka Amtrak → Saint Augustine Beach, FL 40m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $53) $53

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

Stations

From Hollywood Amtrak Station 4 mi, ~10m drive

To Palatka Amtrak 26 mi, ~40m 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

7h 45m on road

Total Cost

$27

CO2

14 kg

Route

Greyhound US0710s

Door-to-Door Timeline

Pembroke Pines, FL → Hollywood Sheridan Trirail Station (HOL6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 465m

Arrival 10m

Palm Coast Bus Stop (PLM6) → Saint Augustine Beach, FL 40m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $27) $27

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

Stations

From HOL6 — Hollywood Sheridan Trirail Station 4 mi, ~10m drive

To PLM6 — Palm Coast Bus Stop 26 mi, ~40m 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 27m	2h 56m	8h 28m	9h
Total cost (1 person)	$99	$186	$53	$27
Carbon footprint	118 kg CO₂	70 kg CO₂	15 kg CO₂	14 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.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Pembroke Pines, FL to Saint Augustine Beach, FL with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.