Miami vs. Ft. Lauderdale for Key Largo?

[drrich2]

Hi:

Hoping to spend a week diving in Key Largo late September or maybe October, and really hoping the water temp.s hold up (75 or more and I don't need a wet suit, which is a big deal to me).

Would be flying out of Little Rock Airport in Arkansas (after dropping the grand dogs off with my folks); we live in KY.

It's my understanding the basic plan would be to either fly to Miami airport, or Ft. Lauderdale airport, rent a car & drive to Key Largo.

Any particularly reason to choose one airport over another?

Thanks!

Richard.

 

[kelemvor]

Miami is around 20 minutes closer to KL.

 

[luscioman]

Whatever is cheapest. The drive is only a little bit more.

 

[uncfnp]

I did Ft Lauderdale on the recommendation from a friend in Miami but can not personally compare. She felt that the FL airport was much easier to manage and that we would be on the road much quicker.

 

[SeaHawk12]

Ft Lauderdale airport is less of an annoyance, and far easier to navigate than Miami. IF all other factors were equal (Price, flight times, car rental pricing, etc.) I'd personally choose Ft. Lauderdale JUST to avoid Miami. Personally, I'd rather spend the extra 20min driving than waiting in an airport....

 

[munkispank]

I second seahawk12, I have flown into both for key largo diving when living out of state and fort lauderdale was easier. Timing was about the same as Miami has a central car rental place which seems to take longer overall, also always seems to e tons of roadwork around the airport. That being said, if Miami is cheaper, go for that as it isn't that bad, just be prepared.
im sure the water temps will still be good in sept and even into early oct.

 

[Tom Winters]

The flying in part is easy - you just kinda sit in the plane and hope that you land at the right airport. This has not always happened to me this year. Then you get a car and escape.

Going back to FLL, dropping the car, and getting to the terminal is way easier than getting back to MIA. It's a little longer drive - maybe an extra 30 minutes, but way easier to navigate. MIA is a zoo to deal with.

I won't say anything else about MIA. I avoid it like the plague.

In a pinch, PBI is an extra 40 minutes north of FLL and is BY FAR, the easiest of the 3 airports to deal with.

When you book your airfares---> it has been a LOT cheaper for me to fly in and out of different airports in Florida on roundtrip tickets. You just have to make sure that your car rental allows for different drop-offs with no surcharge. You can use a site like Kayak and play with the numbers, dates, and locations - it may be significantly cheaper for you to try this.

Driving times according to TravelMath to Key Largo:
MIA 1 hour 17 minutes
FLL 1 hour 42 minutes
PBI 2 hours 23 minutes

 

[drrich2]

Thanks, guys. That's what I needed.

Richard.

 

[iluvtheocean]

even with the current construction around the FTL airport i would choose it hands down down over Miami anyways -- traffic is much easier to deal with -- go west on 595 to the Turnpike and go south & veer off onto the homestead extension and follow it to the keys... that's the most direct route. although personally i'd take Griffin Rd west to the turnpike south.. but that's just cause i don't like 595 and depending on the time the flight gets in -- it avoids the majority of the rush-hour traffic

 

[Doubler]

There is a flight out of Atlanta right into Key West.