Drive or Fly: Saint Augustine, FL to Fort Lauderdale, 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 UST–FLL. At 285 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

5h 25m

Distance

285.1 mi

Total Cost

$98

CO2

115 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$63

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 52m

32m in the air

Air Distance

270 mi

Total Cost

$186

CO2

69 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Saint Augustine, FL → UST 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 32m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

FLL → Fort Lauderdale, FL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $131) $131

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Saint Augustine, FL UST — Northeast Florida Regional Airport 5 mi, ~10m drive

Fort Lauderdale, FL FLL — Fort Lauderdale Hollywood International Airport 4 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Saves about 2h 33m 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 40m

7h 11m on rail

Total Cost

$52

CO2

15 kg

Route

Silver Meteor

Door-to-Door Timeline

Saint Augustine, FL → Palatka Amtrak 39m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 431m

Arrival 10m

Fort Lauderdale Amtrak Station → Fort Lauderdale, FL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $52) $52

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

Stations

From Palatka Amtrak 26 mi, ~39m drive

To Fort Lauderdale Amtrak Station 2 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

7h 50m

6h 30m on road

Total Cost

$26

CO2

14 kg

Route

FlixBus 2431

Door-to-Door Timeline

Saint Augustine, FL → Palm Coast Bus Stop (PLM6) 45m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 390m

Arrival 10m

Ft Lauderdale Broward Park & Ride (FTL6) → Fort Lauderdale, FL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $26) $26

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

Stations

From PLM6 — Palm Coast Bus Stop 30 mi, ~45m drive

To FTL6 — Ft Lauderdale Broward Park & Ride 2 mi, ~10m 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 25m	2h 52m	8h 40m	7h 50m
Total cost (1 person)	$98	$186	$52	$26
Carbon footprint	115 kg CO₂	69 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 13, 2026.

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