Better to fly into Ft Lauderdale or Miami?

[bhpeters]

We're considering a Panama Canal cruise that leaves out of Miami. Is it better to fly into Ft Lauderdale or Miami airports? Either of them cleaner? Not as congested? More convenient? Feel safer? (I HATE flying, feeling safe is a big deal to me)

 

We don't mind renting a car if necessary. Is it just a matter of whichever is cheaper and/or has the best connections?

 

Thanks,

Heather

[dianeandmike2004]

We have flown into FLL each time that we cruised out of Miami. The airfare was always less to fly into FLL. If you fly into FLL instead of Miami, keep in mind that it is about a 45-50 minute ride rather than 15 minutes. We have been pleased with the FLL airport. If you rent a car, Alamo is very flexible about renting the car at one airport and dropping it off at another airport. Alamo has a free shuttle from MIA to the port.

[FunCruiser56]

We generally fly into FLL because we save so much $$ over flying into MIA. FLL is smaller, easier to get around, shorter lines too...

You can rent a car to get to Miami or use a transportation service- that's what we usually do.

We just booked air for our Liberty of the Seas cruise in October and saved about $500 by flying into FLL, it will cost the 3 of us about $90 to get transportation RT so we are still way ahead..

 

Bev

[kubri32]

Just go ahead and fly into Miami, it will be fine.

 

Enjoy!

[Host Kewlguy]

We actually get cheaper prices flying into MIA from Newark. I would recommend flying into Miami verses Fort Lauderdale unless the price difference is substantial. It's easy to navigate either airport.

[MGoBlue2]

We're considering a Panama Canal cruise that leaves out of Miami. Is it better to fly into Ft Lauderdale or Miami airports? Either of them cleaner? Not as congested? More convenient? Feel safer? (I HATE flying, feeling safe is a big deal to me)

 

We don't mind renting a car if necessary. Is it just a matter of whichever is cheaper and/or has the best connections?

 

Thanks,

Heather

Which is cheaper and has the best connections varies by the day, the airline, and the departing location, only you can figure that out for yourself. Or have a TA do it.

[hcw80]

FLL is a smaller airport however, I have seen lines outside the door for security check in on cruise days. MIA is always - always crowded. There are many more international travelers in MIA and the amount of luggage some of them bring is astounding. (However, since airlines are now charging for excess baggage, that may change). Once you get past security, an airport is an airport. MIA has many more shops and resturants past security than FLL, but FLL has less congestion.

[willysgrandma]

We debated this same thing and ended up going into Miami. Our flight was cheaper from NY to Miami.

 

Miami is a huge airport, which we wanted to avoid. FLL is small and easier to get around.

 

Our issue was getting back to the airport from the cruise - the cost was ridiculous to get a car service from Miami to FLL. SO it was more cost effective all around for us to just fly into Miami. I am sure I am not going to enjoy it, but it was just easier.

[Honey's Gal]

FLL is a real mess on a Sunday morning when many ships have returned to port. The lines outside in the blazing sun are really not worth it.

 

We have done both airports, and if I had the choice, because of the above, I would choose Miami. FLL is just too small to handle all of the people in a timely manner.

[logan1_2000]

I used the "H" word in part to be inflammatory, but we really do avoid MIA whenever possible. Have had bad experiences every time at MIA since even before 9/11 impact on travel. The cab stand at MIA is nearly unmarked, is disorganized, the cabs are not even lined up, you have to flag down a uniformed officer who is somewhere on the sidewalk to call you a cab--but there is no sign telling you that or clear marking where you might reliably find that officer. So instead of an orderly line, it is a mob and a mess. Upon return, the lines stretch far beyond where any appropriate signage would begin, and there are issues with language barriers there--sorry if that will make anyone upset, that was our experience and we speak only english in my family and really had some trouble finding our way to someone to ask questions who spoke english in some areas of MIA. We never experienced people cutting in lines at any other place like we experienced it at MIA. And MIA was really run-down beyond security with nearly no amenities while waiting in the Delta gate area from which we returned home, though I can't speak for the rest of the airport.

 

FLL, for two cruises, has been an orderly delight with luggage coming to the carousel that was properly designated (unlike at MIA where it showed up someplace else, and on one occasion, did not make it onto our plane for a return trip until two days later and at the lost baggage window in ATL we were told "we're very sorry, there have been a lot of problems at MIA". So much so i the difference between the two airports, and the seaport as well, that we have chosen not to cruise out of MIA any longer, so that is our own self-imposed limit.

 

I recognize that not everyone has the experiences we had, but the MIA experiences were not just for a cruise, but also for business in 2000, and family and friend trips as far back as 1994. No problems at FLL, and no problems in San Juan when we flew there for a cruise. And the seaports were all more orderly at everglades, canaveral and san juan than our bad start to a good cruise in miami.

 

Better luck to all. Fly into FLL if you can.

[cb at sea]

For us, Miami is the cheaper destination. I guess it depends where you're flying FROM! Check prices for both. Miami is nice, as airports go, and it's so close to the port! Even if you're flying in the day before, getting to your hotel is a breeze and getting back to the airport after your trip is easy, too.

[turquoisesea]

I have to agree with the FLL posters. We no longer fly into MIA, whether we cruise out of Miami or Ft. Lauderdale. We have used the cruise line's transportation from FLL to to Miami port and had no problems. The cost was only a little higher, but in time it was a 40 to 45 minute drive. The smaller size and ease of renting a car is better for us. And yes, I have seen those long lines -but not for security - for USAIR check-in! Just don't book yourself on a flight before noon.

[isujim]

Depends I guess on what you are looking for.........we have found FLL to be busy but cleaner than Miami..........for some reason the departure lounges looks like a convention was held the night before........now maybe it is because it is Sunday and that is a big turn around day at airports that have a lot of cruise passengers go through them.

[critterchick]

I used the "H" word in part to be inflammatory, but we really do avoid MIA whenever possible. Have had bad experiences every time at MIA since even before 9/11 impact on travel. The cab stand at MIA is nearly unmarked, is disorganized, the cabs are not even lined up, you have to flag down a uniformed officer who is somewhere on the sidewalk to call you a cab--but there is no sign telling you that or clear marking where you might reliably find that officer. So instead of an orderly line, it is a mob and a mess. Upon return, the lines stretch far beyond where any appropriate signage would begin, and there are issues with language barriers there--sorry if that will make anyone upset, that was our experience and we speak only english in my family and really had some trouble finding our way to someone to ask questions who spoke english in some areas of MIA. We never experienced people cutting in lines at any other place like we experienced it at MIA. And MIA was really run-down beyond security with nearly no amenities while waiting in the Delta gate area from which we returned home, though I can't speak for the rest of the airport.

 

FLL, for two cruises, has been an orderly delight with luggage coming to the carousel that was properly designated (unlike at MIA where it showed up someplace else, and on one occasion, did not make it onto our plane for a return trip until two days later and at the lost baggage window in ATL we were told "we're very sorry, there have been a lot of problems at MIA". So much so i the difference between the two airports, and the seaport as well, that we have chosen not to cruise out of MIA any longer, so that is our own self-imposed limit.

 

I recognize that not everyone has the experiences we had, but the MIA experiences were not just for a cruise, but also for business in 2000, and family and friend trips as far back as 1994. No problems at FLL, and no problems in San Juan when we flew there for a cruise. And the seaports were all more orderly at everglades, canaveral and san juan than our bad start to a good cruise in miami.

 

Better luck to all. Fly into FLL if you can.

 

I've had exactly the opposite experience. Miami is huge but navigable and I found it clean and reasonably efficient. Our timing was great - there was nobody in line for security (it was a Wednesday) so we breezed through there. There are more places to find a decent meal to bring onboard, too.

 

FLL was crowded, filthy and overwhelmed by the volume of cruisers. You can't check in until 2 hours before your flight, so there were people sitting by or hauling around mounds of luggage. At the American Airlines terminal, there is a Chili's restaurant outside of security with a long wait for a table (and they ask you to limit your stay to 45 minutes). Once inside the terminal, there is a crummy little overpriced airport fast food stand and that's it. All of the monitors were broken so had there been a gate change we never would have know it. It's a nasty little airport.

[Inshape]

We have done MCO for the last 4 cruises and gone out of tampa for ccl and then port canaveral. Now Airtran does direct to FLL so we can fly there now and then rent a car (alamo) to mia the next day. No problem. car is less than a shuttle service considering we are 4 people. I would check the rates and the times of the flights and then make up your own mind. One airport will be just the same, give or take this and that. Ease of flight and time is what is most important.

[cot427]

I like to use the Fort Lauderdale airport rather than the MIA airport. It is much smaller and easier to get around. From Pittsburgh I can get way better fares (cheaper) to FLL rather than MIA. It's not as congested, which makes for an easy travel to and from the ship. Miami airport is too big for me. I flew into JFK in mid June of this year, and I absolutly hated it. I could not wait to get out. The people were rude, the passengers were just lying around on the floor, the airport was old (in need of a remodel), and my flights in and out were delayed.

[mommabean]

Being a local I can say there are a lot of valid points being made by everyone. I would definitely prefer MIA if I were flying in because as a local, I avoid driving between FLL and MIA whenever possible. I-95 can be a huge hassle. FLL used to be small in the old days but whenever I've been there in the last few years it's become a large hassle like any other major airport.

 

I may find MIA manageable because I fly in and out of it every month or so on AA. Delta is a minor player at MIA so only has the tiny underequiped concourse at the far end. The AA concourses are spacious and well-equiped and have always been clean when I've been in them - mostly in A and D. Unfortunately the C concourse security line has been shut down which was the sneaky and fast way to get to a gate in concourse D. But still - there are so many scanners that the long line at D moves very quickly.

 

Do self check in or curbside check in and you won't have to hassle with a long check in line either.

 

As for the language issue in MIA - that is 100% true. It makes me furious that employees are not required to be bilingual...that's right, they don't have to speak English. As long as they can read your name on your driver's license and on your boarding pass - that's all that's apparently required. If you have a question - be prepared to not be understood.

 

In the end, I'd probably go with the one that saved me a lot of money. If it was close in price, I'd go for convenience and that means I'd go for no long drive.

[ancldaca]

I fly to MIA/FLL about 4-6 times a year for weekend getaways and I have completely stopped using MIA. I have a preference for airports that are "cool, calm, and collected", in other words, everything that MIA is not. I dislike the large amount of crowds, got lost I don't know how many times trying to return a rental last time even trying to follow the signage, and find it completely inpersonal (well, not that airports are personal...).

 

I always travel on AA leaving Sundays and really haven't seen that much crazyness at FLL (either on my 4pm or 7pm flights back to San Juan); well, except for those lines I saw outside at the next terminal over.

 

As far as shops... Other than a cheap souvenir keychain or a book, I still fail to understand why that is at all important in an airport.

 

The only improvement at FLL I can think of is for more seats.

 

I now travel only via FLL, even when my stay is in the Doral area. I arrive, pick up the courtesy shuttle to the car rental area, and am usually out in less than 20 minutes from the time we've touched down.