8:55am return flight possibility - feedback?

[Z-Bird]

We've been able to make early flights, and we've also been still standing in line at 11am. You just never know.

 

This last February, Eclipse started disembarkation about 7am. If you were in line at 6:30 ready to go so that you were first, had nothing to declare, and grabbed a cab, you could probably make it to MIA.

 

The 10:15 at FLL is actually potentially more risky, since you have to get through the traffic to FLL!

 

I'd say, book the 8:55 flight out of MIA and be prepared to be first in line. Book the afternoon flight on Southwest at FLL as a backup plan, not the 10:15 flight. If things go wrong, they are likely to go really wrong, not just by a few minutes.

 

Between now and then, sign up and pay for TSA Pre-Check if you don't already have it. Global Entry would be better. Take you GE card if you get one, as that might speed you through like at Port of Miami and does give you a KTN for Pre-Check. Travel lightly so you have carry on only and can easily carry your bags. Be ready to move quickly and be certain to check in online the day before.

 

Thanks for your suggestions. Between us already having TSA pre-check and SWA A list, FLL is looking better and better! We are going to book that SWA 10:15 in FLL with a later flight as a backup. It continues to seem that we are adding unnecessary stress by trying to make that early Miami flight. There is a wealth of experience out there on this board, and we really appreciate people taking the time to share their thoughts. It really helped us clarify what direction to go on the flights.

[ClaudiaB]

If all goes well you can make that SW flight easily. If all goes well. We typically fly in and out of FLL and like a 9:30 non-stop to New Orleans (about 90 minutes) and then we are in our house by about 11:30 a.m. We've been lucky to make it every time. Just line up with your bags by about 6:45 a.m. so you're really among the first off. Forget breakfast or just get something on the run from Cafe Bacio. Don't prearrange a cab or wait to share a shuttle. You're going to need about an hour from the Miami port to the FLL airport, with traffic and loading/unloading your stuff.

[Z-Bird]

If all goes well you can make that SW flight easily. If all goes well. We typically fly in and out of FLL and like a 9:30 non-stop to New Orleans (about 90 minutes) and then we are in our house by about 11:30 a.m. We've been lucky to make it every time. Just line up with your bags by about 6:45 a.m. so you're really among the first off. Forget breakfast or just get something on the run from Cafe Bacio. Don't prearrange a cab or wait to share a shuttle. You're going to need about an hour from the Miami port to the FLL airport, with traffic and loading/unloading your stuff.

Is the appx. hour from when we step outside of the Miami port terminal to get a cab to when we are exiting the cab at FLL? Thanks

[helen haywood]

I've called Uber from POM and they've always arrived in under 5 minutes. Another option.

 

 

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[Cruise Raider]

We always book an early afternoon flight.but if you feel you can make the 10:15 flight then go for it! :p Check to see if your ship has the luggage valet program.If so it would benefit you to use it as you will be cleared to leave the ship without going through customs and through security at the airport ,you can go directly to your gate.We always use luggage valet,it's awesome.:D

 

Even with the 10:15 flight, they would not qualify for the luggage valet program. Recently on the Equinox, this was reinstated and they would not take the luggage for a flight that was prior to 11:30 AM out of FLL....no exceptions ... not even one minute earlier. For Miami, it was even later ... but think it stated POM to MIA, they stated your flight had to be noon or later.

You are right, though ... luggage valet is awesome. I recently heard about someone I knew losing their luggage while using this service but think that might be an outlier.

[sandycruzr]

Here is my personal experience cruising out of Miami with a flight out of fort laiderdale. I have done this 26 times most recently January 2017. I had a fight out of FLL at 11:05 am and based on my vast amount of previous experience, I was confident we could make that with time to spare. We lined up to walk off the ship in Miami at 7 am, we were off the ship at 8 but then we were stopped in the stairwell at the port and stuck there with 100's of other trying to leave. Security told us there was heightened security at the port and there we waited in the stairwell until 9:00 am ! Once we were released from the stairwell things moved slowly but we were in our shuttle on our way to FLL at 9:45 and arrived at the airport at 10:15 at the gate by 10:45. It is very important to make sure that your driver has the ability to take the express lanes to FLL. Over the years we have had a few that didn't have the surpass and it took us over one hour to get to FLL. We always book a back up flight on southwest just in case😊 All that being said, I still try book after 1100 am just in case. You might want to contact a few shuttle services to see if they think your plan is viable. They drive this route every day and should know the traffic patterns for your departure day Good luck

Thanks for your suggestions. Between us already having TSA pre-check and SWA A list, FLL is looking better and better! We are going to book that SWA 10:15 in FLL with a later flight as a backup. It continues to seem that we are adding unnecessary stress by trying to make that early Miami flight. There is a wealth of experience out there on this board, and we really appreciate people taking the time to share their thoughts. It really helped us clarify what direction to go on the flights.

[Duanerice1]

Sorry - I thought this board was for asking for feedback. I didn't realize we would be ridiculed for posting questions.

 

Agree - if this bothers people why do they even need to read the post? Like they add any value at all.

 

I see from a earlier post that you are doing FLL. Agree that there is a good chance you could make the MIA flight but if it was me, the stress and thinking about it would put a damper on the last day/evening.

 

Have fun and ignore the folks that are so much smarter than the rest of us :)

[TFLG]

Like everyone else said, I doubt that's its possible unless everything goes perfectly. An option might be to book a hotel room and take that flight the next day. Our last cruise on the Eclipse we were the last ship to dock and by the time the ship was cleared by the port they did not start disembarkation till about 8:30. Staying a day would let you do some stuff in Miami. If you have not done the airboat everglades ride it's worth it. That's a lot of fun.

[BEAV]

We're contemplating a 10:00am FLL departure later this year when disembarking Crystal Serenity. There will be no Immigration formalities to go through, as our first port of entry back into the U.S. will have happened earlier in the voyage. There will only be the Crystal ship plus Island Princess at Port Everglades that day (a Friday) and we have TSA pre-check.

 

We fully realize any delay to the ship arriving FLL will be to our detriment!

 

Decisions, decisions.......

[myfuzzy]

Wouldn't it be wonderful if we all could have a non stop flight waiting for us as we arrive at the airport.

[scrabble6]

Hi Z-Bird! While I wouldn't encourage a tight timeline, to answer your question: yes, it can be done but I don't know if I'd say your chances are good. It just depends on factors out of your control February we self disembarked Reflection in Miami. We went down around 6:30 AM, ended up being near the front of the line, were in a cab by 7:01 and at the airport around 20 minutes later. Quick check-in and security was a breeze. We could have made an 8:55 flight easily. Our flight wasn't till around 10:55 and we had lots of time to wait at the gate. Everything went perfectly, but it would only take a little glitch here or there to make you miss your flight. Personally, I'd hate to lose my relaxed, de-stressed cruise vibe by stressing myself out on the last day. But if you're the adventurous type you might actually enjoy the adrenaline! :)

 

Good luck in whatever you choose! And enjoy your cruise!

[riclop]

Miami airport is a zoo, too risky indeed.

[I_Luv_Cruisin']

Looking for some feedback on taking an early morning flight back home after our cruise. We are sailing on the Equinox this October out of Miami and need to book return flights to San Diego. We have looked at Miami and Ft Lauderdale airports and are considering an 8:55am nonstop out of Miami. It is very tempting when we think about landing in San Diego by 11:30am that day! Here are factors we are considering:

1. It looks like the Miami airport is only a 10 minute drive from the port (maybe longer at 7:30am on a Monday?).

2. We pack lightly and could easily be with 1st passengers walking off the ship

3. While it is a little stressful to have a flight this close to debarkation, it is also really nice to have a nonstop 5 ½ hour flight home.

4. We can book backup Southwest Airline flights out of Ft. Lauderdale that leave at 10:15am, have one stop, and arrive at 2:45pm. There wouldn't be any fee if we cancel these SWA flights that day. There would be a $300 fee to cancel the AA flights.

5. We are in Key West the previous night on the ship so there shouldn't be any weather delays in getting back to Miami on time. We realize that issues at customs for somebody on the ship could be the factor that delays disembarkation.

 

Is it too dicey to try for this 8:55am flight, or is there a good chance we would make it? Thanks!

 

 

Hi. The 8:55 am flight would not be possible. The 10:15 is possible if everything goes smoothly for you but I would usually recommend a flight after 11am because there are so many variables:

 

This is just a rough outline of what to expect Any of these times could vary:

 

- Ship is scheduled to arrive at 7am but then must be cleared by the port of authority (30 to 60 minutes?)

- When you exit the ship you have to make your way back through the terminal and go through customs (25-30 minutes)

- Once outside you have to get a cab and there is usually a line up of people waiting for cabs so you need to allow some contingency in case there are people in front of you (15 min)

-Although the Miami airport is close to the Port, I would suggest planning 25 minutes to be safe (25 min)

 

So if all goes perfectly, you could make a 10:15 . I personally would not book before 11am. Good Luck!! :D

[basil's mom]

We were on a cruise in November that disembarked in Miami. It took much longer than usual for the ship to clear customs and allow passengers to get off. A car service was supposed to meet us but the driver wasn't there when we got off the ship so we had to wait for him.

 

Miami airport is just as crowded as LAX. There will be a lot of people getting off the ship and it may take time to find a cab to get you to the airport and then traffic to get out of the pier area. You won't know ahead of time what the security lines are like and it may take a long time to go through the line.

 

Fort. Lauderdale is about 30 miles from the port. Travel agents advise not making flights before 11:00 a.m. and you have to factor in the driving time.

 

You will be stressed out about whether you will miss your flight or not, which is a terrible way to end a vacation or you can spend the night in Miami and leave the next day. Do yourself a favor and either book the Miami flight after 11:00 a.m. or a Fort Lauderdale flight after noon. It just isn't worth an ulcer.

[chamima]

Really appreciate the responses, and given the essentially unanimous feedback that an 8:55am flight is cutting it too close, we are going to book the 10:15am SWA flight out of FLL, with a later SWA flight also booked as a backup to that.

 

Thanks again for the valuable insights.

 

 

 

For all of the people that said the 10:15 flight was doable -----

the OP is sailing out of MIAMI !!!:(

A 10:15 flight out of the airport nearest the cruiseport is cutting it close but usually doable.

A 10:15 flight with the 45 minute ride (and that's how long it took us) to get to the airport NOT connected to your cruiseport is another story.

[Z-Bird]

OK - after reading all of the responses to this thread (thank you!) and reviewing flight options, I think we have come up with a good flight choice.

 

We are booking MIA to San Diego, 11:05am departure, one stop, 3:44pm arrival.

 

We are using mileage points to book this. I confirmed with American Airlines that if all the stars align correctly and we comfortably make it to MIA in time to catch the 8:55am nonstop flight, if there are award seats still available, we can switch flights at no cost. If not, no biggie and in the majority of scenarios, we should be able to get to the Miami airport in time for the 11:05am flight.

 

Thanks again to everyone sharing their experiences with catching morning flights out of MIA and FLL. Now back to the fun stuff of planning shore excursions. :D

[volk904]

I believe 8:55 is a gamble. You could probably make it if everything goes perfect but you have little room of delays which often happen with customs. We had a fall cruise on the Escape out of Miami and booked a risky 9:45 flight. We walked off and made it through customs by 8:15 and made it to the airport by 8:35. In the Delta terminal customs was fast and we had time to spare but American might be a zoo.

 

 

 

 

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[sanger727]

OP, good compromise. Yes, if all the stars align the 8:55 flight is plausible; but I sure wouldn't want that to me my flight home, or be facing a change/cancellation fee if you miss it (because more than likely you will).

 

I don't think you'll have any trouble making the 11 flight

 

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[waterbug123]

5. We are in Key West the previous night on the ship so there shouldn't be any weather delays in getting back to Miami on time.

 

Getting back to Miami on time is only part of the equation. You also have to be able to disembark. Last year we disembarked a cruise in Rome. Weather overnight was fine and we arrived in port on time. BUT....storms were rolling in and in between arrival at port and the ship clearing customs and pax being cleared to disembark we were pounded with a violent thunderstorm. The dock area was closed to employees so disembarking was delayed over an hour. (Same thing happens at airports when thunderstorms hit and it's considered to dangerous for the ground crew to be working out in the elements so everything shuts down.)

 

Now, I grant you that the likelihood of a thunderstorm at that hour of the morning is rare. My point is more than you an never make assumptions regarding weather. People post things all the time, like "we're flying from Houston to Miami so the blizzard in northeast won't affect us." Right.... until you find out your aircraft is coming from Boston and is delayed!

[waterbug123]

Check to see if your ship has the luggage valet program.If so it would benefit you to use it as you will be cleared to leave the ship without going through customs and through security at the airport

 

The OP would still have to go through security at the airport.

[wallie5446]

Really appreciate the responses, and given the essentially unanimous feedback that an 8:55am flight is cutting it too close, we are going to book the 10:15am SWA flight out of FLL, with a later SWA flight also booked as a backup to that.

 

Thanks again for the valuable insights.

IMHO, this is the better, yet a tad tight, option. Ya just never know about morning rush hour traffic on a Monday morning. FLL is still a 45 minute drive from Miami with no issues. Don't linger over that last cup of coffee! Get one at the airport :D

[chamima]

IMHO, this is the better, yet a tad tight, option. Ya just never know about morning rush hour traffic on a Monday morning. FLL is still a 45 minute drive from Miami with no issues. Don't linger over that last cup of coffee! Get one at the airport :D

 

OK - after reading all of the responses to this thread (thank you!) and reviewing flight options, I think we have come up with a good flight choice.

 

We are booking MIA to San Diego, 11:05am departure, one stop, 3:44pm arrival.

 

We are using mileage points to book this. I confirmed with American Airlines that if all the stars align correctly and we comfortably make it to MIA in time to catch the 8:55am nonstop flight, if there are award seats still available, we can switch flights at no cost. If not, no biggie and in the majority of scenarios, we should be able to get to the Miami airport in time for the 11:05am flight.

 

Thanks again to everyone sharing their experiences with catching morning flights out of MIA and FLL. Now back to the fun stuff of planning shore excursions. :D

 

 

Wallie

The OP's last post said they are booking a flight out of Miami - not FLL.

They disembark in Miami so traffic isn't an issue.