Drive or Fly: South Beach, 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 VRB–MCO. At 113 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

1h 59m

Distance

113 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 34m

11m in the air

Air Distance

91 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

23 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

South Beach, FL → VRB 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 11m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MCO → Orlando, FL 13m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

South Beach, FL VRB — Vero Beach Regional Airport 6 mi, ~10m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between VRB 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

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

6h 40m

5h on rail

Total Cost

$19

CO2

7 kg

Route

Floridian

Door-to-Door Timeline

South Beach, FL → Okeechobee Amtrak 30m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 300m

Arrival 10m

Orlando → Orlando, FL 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $19) $19

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

Stations

From Okeechobee Amtrak 0 mi, ~30m drive

To Orlando 0 mi, ~30m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~2/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 2 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	1h 59m	2h 34m	6h 40m
Total cost (1 person)	$60	$124	$19
Carbon footprint	46 kg CO₂	23 kg CO₂	7 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 — 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 South Beach, FL to Orlando, FL with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.