Drive or Fly: Wellington, FL to Jacksonville, 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 PBI–JAX. At 285 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

5h 19m

Distance

285.7 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

3h 3m

32m in the air

Air Distance

268 mi

Total Cost

$186

CO2

68 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Wellington, FL → PBI 14m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 32m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

JAX → Jacksonville, FL 17m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $131) $131

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Wellington, FL PBI — Palm Beach International Airport 9 mi, ~14m drive

Jacksonville, FL JAX — Jacksonville International Airport 11 mi, ~17m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between PBI and JAX. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 2h 16m 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 49m

7h 9m on rail

Total Cost

$54

CO2

17 kg

Route

Silver Meteor

Door-to-Door Timeline

Wellington, FL → West Palm Beach Amtrak Station 30m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 429m

Arrival 10m

Jacksonville → Jacksonville, FL 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $54) $54

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

Stations

From West Palm Beach Amtrak Station 0 mi, ~30m drive

To Jacksonville 0 mi, ~30m 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

8h 23m

6h 58m on road

Total Cost

$30

CO2

17 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Wellington, FL → West Palm Beach Bus Station (WPB) 30m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 418m

Arrival 10m

Jacksonville (Downtown) (JAX6) → Jacksonville, FL 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $30) $30

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

Stations

From WPB — West Palm Beach Bus Station 0 mi, ~30m drive

To JAX6 — Jacksonville (Downtown) 0 mi, ~30m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~14/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	5h 19m	3h 3m	8h 49m	8h 23m
Total cost (1 person)	$98	$186	$54	$30
Carbon footprint	115 kg CO₂	68 kg CO₂	17 kg CO₂	17 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 Wellington, FL to Jacksonville, FL with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.