Fort Lauderdale Airport tips

[bs0755]

We are preparing for our upcoming cruise out of Port Everglades; and I am already dreading the fiasco at Fort Lauderdale airport upon our return...

 

When we were last there, two years ago, we managed to get our bags checked in ahead of the crowds--only to learn that we could not enter the gate area because we were too early. When we were finally able enter, the line was so long, it took forever to get in.

 

Has the process gotten any better? Does anyone have any tips?

 

Thanks!

[PoohUnderstands]

Nope!

 

They still have that sign above the security area stating about a window of 1 1/2 hours for your flight. However, I have gone through recently where my flight was still 1/2 hour out of the stated window of time and they let me through. Also if there is an average line that you know will take a few minutes, time yourselves and get in line ahead of time knowing it will take you alittle time to get through. Also, as a last resort, if you are ready to go to your gate, you could nicely "plead" with the security personnel that you are starving and would they let you through to get something to eat! Good luck. What terminal will you be using? Terminal 1 is usually not too bad. I use it often for Frontier and Continental.

 

Pooh

[bs0755]

First of all, I apologize for the multiple posts--I can't figure out how to delete them..

 

Thanks for the info---We are in terminal 2.

[cherylandtk]

You don't mention when you are going, but lots of folks have said that the airport craziness is mostly limited to days when LOTS of ships are in port at FLL. Have you checked to see how many ships are in port on your departure and arrival days?

[OnlineMom]

Terminal 1 is usually not too bad. I use it often for Frontier and Continental.

 

Pooh

 

Do you know, off hand, what terminal American Airlines is in?

[PoohUnderstands]

American uses Terminal 3 which long ago was the one and only terminal. The good thing about that is that there are stores and restaurants out in the main area so that you can shop and/or eat without going through security first. This means more if you get there really early for your flight or you have someone picking you up or seeing you off.

 

Pooh

[OnlineMom]

American uses Terminal 3 which long ago was the one and only terminal. The good thing about that is that there are stores and restaurants out in the main area so that you can shop and/or eat without going through security first. This means more if you get there really early for your flight or you have someone picking you up or seeing you off.

 

Pooh

 

I've flown in/out of numerous airports - from Detroit to LAX to Burbank to Phoenix to Maui... I've never encountered one that puts restrictions on when you can enter the terminal. I can't imagine the havoc doing that must create...

 

In March, we will be flying home to L.A. post-cruise on a 3:45 PM flight so this information will be useful. Thanks again!

[PoohUnderstands]

Online Mom:

 

You are not restricted into the terminal itself. I agree, that would be horrendous. They try to get people with flights 1 1/2 hours to go or so to go through SECURITY so that you can then go into the gates area. In terminals 2 & 3, since they are newer, all the eating areas and stores are after security, so if you don't have a ticket or get there really early, you are stuck sitting out in the terminal area. And there are more seats to sit at in Terminal 3 also, by the way.

 

Pooh

[Coolmama_1]

We were just at Fort Lauderdale and you could not check your bags prior to 4 hours before your flight. Our flight was at 5:45 SWA and we were allowed to check our bags at 1:45. There were people sitting everywhere. They did allow us to go through security and down to the gate area. We knew that we would have a long time at the airport so we did take the Fort Lauderdale excursion offered by Princess. We went to the Everglades for an airboat ride and to the Flaming wildlife sanctuary. We got to the airport at 1:25 so we only had 1/2 hour to wait to check our bags.

[LoneStar72]

We were just at Fort Lauderdale and you could not check your bags prior to 4 hours before your flight. Our flight was at 5:45 SWA and we were allowed to check our bags at 1:45. There were people sitting everywhere. They did allow us to go through security and down to the gate area. <snip> We got to the airport at 1:25 so we only had 1/2 hour to wait to check our bags.

Odd -- we arrived at FLL at 9:15am on Sunday, January 8, 2006, by cab from Port Everglades. There were only 3 ships arriving that day. There was no delay in curb-side baggage check-in at American Airlines, and there was no delay at all for us, even though our flight wasn't until 2:30pm. We never saw a sign restricting passengers from going through security based on the length of time before the flight, and, in fact, we were through security and sitting in the gate at about 9:30am.

 

John

[Coolmama_1]

Odd -- we arrived at FLL at 9:15am on Sunday, January 8, 2006, by cab from Port Everglades. There were only 3 ships arriving that day. There was no delay in curb-side baggage check-in at American Airlines, and there was no delay at all for us, even though our flight wasn't until 2:30pm. We never saw a sign restricting passengers from going through security based on the length of time before the flight, and, in fact, we were through security and sitting in the gate at about 9:30am.

 

John

 

This was in the Southwest terminal and may have been a SWA policy. Anyways, they would not let us check in prior to 4 hours before flight because they have no where to store luggage prior to loading aircraft. It was after 1:00 pm and you couldn't move in the lobby area.

[bs0755]

You don't mention when you are going, but lots of folks have said that the airport craziness is mostly limited to days when LOTS of ships are in port at FLL. Have you checked to see how many ships are in port on your departure and arrival days?

 

We will be leaving on Feb 5th, and returning on the 11th. I just assumed there would be lots of ships in port, since it is a weekend. I seem to recall that there is a website with this information, but I cannot find it...

[wrp96]

This was in the Southwest terminal and may have been a SWA policy. Anyways, they would not let us check in prior to 4 hours before flight because they have no where to store luggage prior to loading aircraft. It was after 1:00 pm and you couldn't move in the lobby area.

 

It is a Southwest Airlines policy. They won't let you check bags in until 4 hours before your flight at any airport. We ran into this flying out of Houston in December. We solved it by paying money to change to an earlier flight.

[cherylandtk]

We will be leaving on Feb 5th, and returning on the 11th. I just assumed there would be lots of ships in port, since it is a weekend. I seem to recall that there is a website with this information, but I cannot find it...

7 ships in port both days, so will be on the busy side. The website is http://www.cruisecal.com

[lannp]

Just returned from the Coral. We were the only ship scheduled. JetBlue let us check our bags in 4 hrs. prior to our flight. We cleared security and went through to the gate area where there were several places to get food.