Drive or Fly: West Palm 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 PBI–MCO. At 170 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 13m

Distance

170 mi

Total Cost

$73

CO2

69 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$38

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 41m

18m in the air

Air Distance

150 mi

Total Cost

$126

CO2

38 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

West Palm Beach, FL → PBI 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 18m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MCO → Orlando, FL 13m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Airports

West Palm Beach, FL PBI — Palm Beach International Airport 3 mi, ~10m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between PBI 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

4h 40m

3h 40m on rail

Total Cost

$30

CO2

9 kg

Route

Silver Meteor

Door-to-Door Timeline

West Palm Beach, FL → West Palm Beach Amtrak Station 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 220m

Arrival 10m

Orlando → Orlando, FL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $30) $30

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

Stations

From West Palm Beach Amtrak Station 1 mi, ~10m drive

To Orlando 1 mi, ~10m 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

3h 50m

3h 5m on road

Total Cost

$17

CO2

9 kg

Route

FlixBus N2401

Door-to-Door Timeline

West Palm Beach, FL → West Palm Beach Bus Station (WPB) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 185m

Arrival 10m

Orlando Bus Station (ORL6) → Orlando, FL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $17) $17

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

Stations

From WPB — West Palm Beach Bus Station 1 mi, ~10m drive

To ORL6 — Orlando Bus Station 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	3h 13m	2h 41m	4h 40m	3h 50m
Total cost (1 person)	$73	$126	$30	$17
Carbon footprint	69 kg CO₂	38 kg CO₂	9 kg CO₂	9 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.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

170 mi 3h 13m

via Florida's Turnpike, I 95, I 4

Alternative (+7 min)

178.2 mi 3h 20m

via I 95, FL 528, FL 408 Toll

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from West Palm Beach, FL to Orlando, FL with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.