scheduling flight home

[jwright98]

I will be booking our first cruise out of Miami on Celebrity in December. Question about debarkation and getting ot the airport - Celebrity says they arrive back in port at 7 am on debarkation day, do ships usually stick with that? I am assuming we can get a quick bite before leaving. Is it reasonable to book a flight at about 9 am or close to that? I guess there will be plenty of cabs. Not sure how long of a drive from the port of miami to the FLL airport as well (and I guess MIA also since we haven't booked anything, but flights seemed cheaper to FLL than MIA).

[cruisingrightalong]

Well the answer to the first question is usually they do come in on schedule or earlier even HOWEVER....by the time you disembark, get your luggage, grab a cab (plenty).....the rule of thumb by many is do not book a flight until noon or close to it at the earliest. If you fly out of Miami or FLL, the security lines can be long...in FLL I have been 1.5 hours in the security line and there they do not let you into the security line until something like 2 hours before your flight.

 

I have made a 11:30 flight before but that is the earliest I personally would be comfy with.

 

Just an opinion,

Lou

[nudave]

I would stick to Noon or later. Haven't had any problems with that yet.

 

9AM is way too early IMHO.

[cb at sea]

9am IS too early, but something around 11 should be more than doable....we usually GET to the airport just before 9am, and never do the "self-carry" of our bags!

[kitty9]

You're probably looking at flights out of Miami for around 9am because they're so cheap, but the reason they're that cheap is because the airlines know that cruise passengers cannot make a flight out of Miami before noon. Unless you've been through MIA, you have no idea how bad that airport is---it can take you an hour just to check in for a flight and more than an hour to go through security. Miami is one mess of an airport, especially on a cruise day.

[AlanAllyn]

When you return, on Saturday, there will be 5 ships in Port of Miami. That means a crowded port with possibly a wait for a taxi and a very crowded airport.

 

I would not consider anything before 11; 12 is better.

[cruisingrightalong]

well it seems the answer to your question if really after 12 noon for a flight

Lou

[jwright98]

Ok thanks everyone. It just seems the flight schedule is limited. Like a couple in the morning, then maybe one at noon, then a bunch leaving in the evening. Trying to get home before the kids get to bed. I'll wait for southwest's schedule to come out for Dec travel. I'm hoping they have lots of affordable options to get back to WI!

[Gonzo70]

Ok thanks everyone. It just seems the flight schedule is limited. Like a couple in the morning, then maybe one at noon, then a bunch leaving in the evening. Trying to get home before the kids get to bed. I'll wait for southwest's schedule to come out for Dec travel. I'm hoping they have lots of affordable options to get back to WI!

 

FYI June 10th is the scheduled release date for Southwest's itineraries that would include December '10.

[kitty9]

Ok thanks everyone. It just seems the flight schedule is limited. Like a couple in the morning, then maybe one at noon, then a bunch leaving in the evening. Trying to get home before the kids get to bed. I'll wait for southwest's schedule to come out for Dec travel. I'm hoping they have lots of affordable options to get back to WI!

 

Consider flying home to Wi from Ft Lauderdale. We recently did this and it was great. The FLL airport is much less hectic than Miami. They have a flight that leave MKE at 7am, and a return flight from FLL to MKE that leaves FLL at 12noon. Those flights would work well for you, if they continue the same schedule in December.

[jwright98]

Consider flying home to Wi from Ft Lauderdale. We recently did this and it was great. The FLL airport is much less hectic than Miami. They have a flight that leave MKE at 7am, and a return flight from FLL to MKE that leaves FLL at 12noon. Those flights would work well for you, if they continue the same schedule in December.

 

Thanks! FLL seems to be a little cheaper to fly to than MIA.