Preference of airport for Miami trip?

[Shelby Schroepfer]

I am seeing most people flying into FLL for a cruise out of the Miami port but I see MIA airport being almost half as cheap. Is there a downside to using MIA over FLL? thanks!

 

[lklgoodman]

Part of it could be which airlines people fly. We can fly on Southwest from our home airport to FLL, but we don't get service to Miami.

 

[Shelby Schroepfer]

I guess I never thought of that. We are looking for the cheapest flight from Minneapolis. It might even be cheaper to fly to MCO and rent a car and drive to Miami!

 

[Ralph&Pam]

I suspect many of those flying into FLL are using Southwest. SW does not serve MIA. We use American into MIA, flying from Chicago O’Hare. Fares are usually lower than the SW flights from Chicago Midway to FLL and flight availability is much better because MIA is an American hub for flights to the Caribbean and South America.

 

[Maggie'sMom]

It has to do mostly with cost and availability of flights. There are very few non-stop flights from my home city into MIA, and those flights are generally more expensive than flying non-stop on Southwest into FLL. MIA is closer to the Port of Miami so definitely check for flights into MIA, but compare those flights to the cost and flight times into/out of FLL.

 

[cheryl.UK]

I've done both and FLL is far quicker to get through than Miami. Also, traffic around MIA is horrendous at times. I wasn't going to the port though so that may be a factor to consider. Just as an example. My friend and I were meeting up in Miami (Aventura). I flew into FLL an hour after her flight touched down in MIA. I arrived at our friend's house an hour before she did.

 

[eva2015]

We fly Delta out of MSP. When we cruised out of Miami we flew into MIA. We priced flying into FLL but the convenience of MIA out weighed any cost savings.

 

[monarchsfan16]

Southwest and JetBlue are our preferred airlines. They don't fly into MIA. FLL is also a much smaller, less chaotic airport. So FLL is our preferred airport but we have flown home from MIA, when that was our best option. But if flights are half price into MIA and you don't mind the airline, MIA is definitely conveniently located to the port.

 

[eva2015]

I've done both and FLL is far quicker to get through than Miami. Also, traffic around MIA is horrendous at times. I wasn't going to the port though so that may be a factor to consider. Just as an example. My friend and I were meeting up in Miami (Aventura). I flew into FLL an hour after her flight touched down in MIA. I arrived at our friend's house an hour before she did.

That't interesting. When we cruised out of Miami, we flew in the day before and stayed at a airport hotel. Our Uber the next morning to the port took less than 20 minutes. After the cruise, we took a cab back to the airport. Again only took 20-25 minutes.

 

[Shelby Schroepfer]

We fly Delta out of MSP. When we cruised out of Miami we flew into MIA. We priced flying into FLL but the convenience of MIA out weighed any cost savings.

Did you use the disney transportation or something else?

 

[eva2015]

Did you use the disney transportation or something else?

Stayed at an airport hotel the night before and took an Uber the next morning ($30 for Uber XL). Took a cab after the cruise back to the airport (flat fee $27?? I think).

 

[Shelby Schroepfer]

We fly Delta out of MSP. When we cruised out of Miami we flew into MIA. We priced flying into FLL but the convenience of MIA out weighed any cost savings.

Did you use the disney transportation or something else?

Did you use the disney transportation or something else?

This is what I'm thinking of doing too. We are for sure getting a hotel the night before embarkation so I feel like it would be easiest to grab a hotel that has a shuttle from the airport and then uber the next morning. thank you!

 

[Mainsail Minnie]

I am seeing most people flying into FLL for a cruise out of the Miami port but I see MIA airport being almost half as cheap. Is there a downside to using MIA over FLL? thanks!

No, I much prefer MIA. A lot of posters fly Southwest, which only flies into FLL. That's why you're seeing that.

We had an absolutely miserable experience flying out of FLL after a cruise: had to wait in a winding check-in line outside (line was that long) breathing in car exhaust fumes for about 30 minutes before finally getting in the airport, then more waiting in the line before finally reaching the check-in desk, not allowed through security for hours because we had a 2pm flight (we arrived around 10am), so sitting in the crowded pre-security area for 2 hours with little to do or eat with a child in tow, etc. And on top of that, it took longer to get to FLL from the cruise port, & there is no DCL transportation there & what we'd arranged didn't go smoothly. It was not worth it, and was an unpleasant way to end our vacation.

By contrast, our pre-cruise flight into MIA was peaceful & uneventful, followed by a quick DCL bus ride to the port. For our other Magic cruise, we flew via MIA both ways, again with no issue.

 

[SamFaniam]

I have used both for sailing out of Miami, choose the one that’s less expensive.

 

[ScooterScott44]

Not sure why others would pick FLL over MIA but I will re-iterate that it is my least favorite airport. That is based on flying about 110-130 flights per year for the last 13 years. Been to 45 of the 50 states and multiple airports in most of them. (Texas wins with at least 13 different airports). Think of FLL as a mini - LAX. Same basic layout but on a smaller scale.

Unless one is much cheaper either could be acceptable.

- Both MIA and FLL can have traffic issues, it really depends on what time of day and the direction you are heading. Expect at peak rush hour both can have traffic issues.

- If you choose to stay near the either airport for the night before, that minimizes traffic issues. There are good and bad hotel options near each airport. But some of my less than desirable/comfortable stays were near FLL, including being woken at 3am (but not opening the door) and then finding bloody handprints on the hallway side of the door the next morning. Manager apologized for the drunk wandering the halls and they ”thought we cleaned up all the blood”.

- Transportation cost from either should be not drastically different and hotel shuttles and Uber/taxi are best options. If you choose Miami there might be DCL transportation options depending on where you stay.

 

[SteveMouse]

It’s about 30 minutes (light traffic) between the two. For MSP, it’s likely that Delta and Southwest have cheaper flights, at least for the more we’ll-known carriers. Southwest doesn’t fly to Miami.

Pick which one you like more.

 

[bbn1122]

We are flying into FFL this January, the rates for MIA were much higher.

We are flying United out of Newark, NJ. It’s is right after the New Year, January 3rd. MIA was over $400 more for our family of 5.

I always figured most folks got a better rate like me and that was the reason for flying into FFL.

Many years ago we were going to the Florida Keys, flying into Key West was very expensive, as was flying into Miami. We winded up flying into FFL back then too.
Maybe Newark was a to Miami is really popular.

 

[hcox31]

Flights into FLL were way cheaper for us that MIA. We flew into FLL, stayed at the holiday inn near the airport and used private transport the next day to the cruise terminal.

That said, I detested the FLL airport. Like, I would pay extra to NOT fly into it again. Over crowded, no seating (we sat on the floor), the food options were very VERY limited.

 

[stout]

We booked one ways for our trip at the beginning of the year. Delta to MIA was a great price and times, then staying overnight at Comfort Suites on Minola Drive, as it is free airport transfers and then free port transfers the next morning. On the way back, the best flight was the one out of FLL to MSP on Delta at 1:00. We will Uber from the port to FLL.

 

[greensombrero]

I guess I never thought of that. We are looking for the cheapest flight from Minneapolis. It might even be cheaper to fly to MCO and rent a car and drive to Miami!

We got a killer deal on airfare for our cruise from SLC to MCO via MSP on Delta so we are just renting a car and driving to Miami from Orlando. We have buffer days on the front side. For our family of 6 the cost savings added up quickly. The way airlines price things though I wouldn’t be shocked if flying from MSP to MCO was more expensive than SLC to MCO with our MSP layover. I fly to MSP for work regularly and I always pay more than double the fare we found. Airline pricing can be crazy.