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Drive or Fly: Saint Augustine, FL to Miami, 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–MIA. At 307 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:
Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

5h 49m

Distance

307.3 mi

Total Cost

$103

CO2

124 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$68
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 55m

35m in the air

Air Distance

293 mi

Total Cost

$187

CO2

75 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Saint Augustine, FL → UST 10m
Check-in & Security 90m
Flight 35m
Arrival & Baggage 30m
MIA → Miami, FL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $132) $132
Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Saint Augustine, FL UST — Northeast Florida Regional Airport 5 mi, ~10m drive
Miami, FL MIA — Miami International Airport 6 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Saves about 2h 54m 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

9h 33m

8h 4m on rail

Total Cost

$55

CO2

16 kg

Route

Silver Meteor

Door-to-Door Timeline

Saint Augustine, FL → Palatka Amtrak 39m
Boarding 30m
Train ride 484m
Arrival 10m
Miami Amtrak Station → Miami, FL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $55) $55

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

Stations

From Palatka Amtrak 26 mi, ~39m drive
To Miami Amtrak Station 7 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

9h 15m

7h 55m on road

Total Cost

$29

CO2

15 kg

Route

FlixBus 2431

Door-to-Door Timeline

Saint Augustine, FL → Palm Coast Bus Stop (PLM6) 45m
Boarding 15m
Bus ride 475m
Arrival 10m
Downtown Miami (4DM) → Miami, FL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $29) $29

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

Stations

From PLM6 — Palm Coast Bus Stop 30 mi, ~45m drive
To 4DM — Downtown Miami 1 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 49m 2h 55m 9h 33m 9h 15m
Total cost (1 person) $103 $187 $55 $29
Carbon footprint 124 kg CO2 75 kg CO2 16 kg CO2 15 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 12, 2026.

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