Flying into Orlando, need to get to MIA

[hopelea]

The days I need a flight, I can't get one to Ft Lauderdale. I can get a flight to Orlando. Any suggestions on how to get from Orlando to Ft Lauderdale? I figured I can rent a car, but I was thinking there might be other options.

 

We are cruising on the Vista in January.

 

Thanks!

[Essiesmom]

You can't fly into MIA? Why FLL if you need to get to MIA? Go over to the Florida Departures board where the experts can give you some ideas. EM

[kgb46]

The days I need a flight, I can't get one to Ft Lauderdale. I can get a flight to Orlando. Any suggestions on how to get from Orlando to Ft Lauderdale? I figured I can rent a car, but I was thinking there might be other options.

 

We are cruising on the Vista in January.

 

Thanks!

That is a 3 1/2 hour drive from MCO to Port of Miami. Are you flying in the morning of the cruise? Different airline or flying in the day before?

[JustCruiseMe]

http://www.thefloridaexpressbus.com/

[w&k]

That is a 3 1/2 hour drive from MCO to Port of Miami. Are you flying in the morning of the cruise? Different airline or flying in the day before?

 

3.5 hours from Orlando to MIA? I think that's a bit optimistic, unless you're doing it in the dead of night. Just getting your rental car at MCO can take well over an hour.

 

OP - if you're looking to get on a cruise in Miami, look into MIA (Miami), FLL (Fort Lauderdale), and PBI (Palm Beach).

 

If you go any further than that, you will most likely need a pair of one-way car rentals. Plan on $100 for each rental, more if you need anything larger than a compact car. PBI may require it as well. There is good availability of shuttle services between FLL and Miami.

 

This hasn't been said yet, but don't even THINK about trying a far airport on the same day as the cruise, particularly in January. Snow anywhere will foul up the airports in Florida as well. In addition, we have very few roads, and one accident can close them for hours at a time with little or no alternative.

 

I live in north Florida, and drive the day/evening before to get to the south Florida ports.

 

Good luck!

 

Wendy

[riclop]

The days I need a flight, I can't get one to Ft Lauderdale. I can get a flight to Orlando. Any suggestions on how to get from Orlando to Ft Lauderdale? I figured I can rent a car, but I was thinking there might be other options.

 

We are cruising on the Vista in January.

 

Thanks!

 

You have a long drive in traffic.

[GuitarPlayer]

We did exactly what you are proposing, but we flew in the day before the cruise and stayed all night in Miami and boarded the next day.

 

We rented a minivan (4 of us plus luggage) for the drive, both ways. Flight to MCO was a non-stop, and was about $70 p/p cheaper each way. Because we had no connections, we actually go home faster by driving MIA to MCO than if we flew out of MIA(FLL) and had connections.

 

The minivan (at my corp rate) was about $70 each way, so we saved $210 each way. We've driven from KC to Jacksonville, so the drive from MCO to MIA wasn't too bad.

 

However, READ THIS, on the way down, we got caught in a rainstorm, and traffic crawled along the interstate at about 20mph at times. We barely got the minivan turned in at the downtown Miami location before they closed, so just make sure you allocate enough time to make the drive.

 

We have even done a B2B getting off ship 1 in Miami, driving to Port Canaveral and getting on ship 2 on the same day (a Saturday). Probably won't do that again, as it was too stressful, not being in the departure city the night before departure.

 

Good Luck!

 

GP

Edited August 3, 2016 by GuitarPlayer

[Bookbug53]

The days I need a flight, I can't get one to Ft Lauderdale. I can get a flight to Orlando. Any suggestions on how to get from Orlando to Ft Lauderdale? I figured I can rent a car, but I was thinking there might be other options.

 

We are cruising on the Vista in January.

 

Thanks!

 

Nothing available to Miami? Palm Beach?

 

I would not even like this going a day ahead. What a pain when you come back. What time are you looking at for a return flight? Same day as ship's return? That would have me stressed. Traffic is so unpredictable as is the weather.

[Host CJSKIDS]

The days I need a flight, I can't get one to Ft Lauderdale. I can get a flight to Orlando. Any suggestions on how to get from Orlando to Ft Lauderdale? I figured I can rent a car, but I was thinking there might be other options.

 

We are cruising on the Vista in January.

 

Thanks!

 

Do you need to get from orlando to Fort Lauderdale or Orlando to Miami where you are cruising from?

 

The driving time from MCO to the Port of Miami is 3 1/2 hours. That's as long as you aren't traveling during any of the rush hour times. As I live a couple of miles from the port and my daughter lived in downtown Orlando, it was a drive I made frequently. Can't stress enough to be careful of rush hour times!

 

You can either rent a car and drive, however if you do this, I would highly suggest being a member of one of the car rental clubs where you can simply walk to the aisle and grab your car and go.

 

Another options is there are very often cheap flights from MCO into Miami on AA. If you plan early enough, this would be another option for you.

 

The Florida express bus is an option, however that will add quite a bit of time to your travels and again is subject to traffic.

 

If you can't fly into FLL, MIA or PBI, check into RSW (Fort Myers). That is a very easy drive and you will have A LOT less traffic. It's 2 hours from RSW into Fort Lauderdale and 2 1/2 into Miami. You will usually only encounter traffic on the east coast.

(During the week I would always make sure that I left my home in Naples for my home on Brickell no later than 3:00 and I had a 2 hour drive door to door.)