With winter starting to control the climate of the Northeast, we thought about looking at Miami International Airport (MIA) and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) and seeing which is best for travelers looking to head south . There are many reasons why people choose to visit South Florida, whether it’s a fun party in South Beach, Miami, or a family vacation in Fort. Lauderdale, or visit your retired parents in Boca Raton. The question is which airport makes the most sense to fly and why.
Miami International Airport is the main gateway to the United States for people arriving from the Caribbean and South and Central America. MIA also has most international connections to other parts of the world, while Fort Lauderdale Airport focuses more on domestic flights and is home to the low-cost airline Spirit. It is also the airport of choice if your final destination is North Miami.
Miami International Airport (MIA)
Located west of downtown Miami, the MIA is about a 20-minute drive from almost every part of the city and is the airport of choice if you are going to Coconut Grove, Coral Gables, Miami Beach or even Bal Harbor. MIA is also the airport to fly to if you are cruising in the Port of Miami. Because of all international and domestic flights, the airport is large and requires a good walk, with Concourse D alone with 60 gates.
What we like about Miami International Airport is its distinctly Latin American atmosphere, with Spanish as the predominant language. This does not mean that airport employees speak only Spanish, as they need to be bilingual to accommodate people who do not speak Spanish. Although Miami Airport is very cosmopolitan, many people who use the airport can lead to long lines, especially with immigration when returning from abroad. In addition to the excellent offers of coffee and Cuban food, the unique feature of the MIA is that it is always cooler inside the airport than outside, most of the time. Something you will notice as soon as you leave the terminal.
Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL)
Located between the cities of Fort Lauderdale and Hollywood, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) is the airport you should use if your final destination is north of Miami. This means that if you visit Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood, Boca Raton, Delray Beach, Pompano Beach or Coral Springs, FLL is the best airport to use.
Driving in South Florida can be quite hectic, with traffic on the state’s main Interstate-95 artery stopped during rush hour. Therefore, depending on the time of your flight, FLL may be a better choice than MIA. Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport is also the airport you want to use to catch a cruise ship in Port Everglades.
FLL is less crowded than MIA
Unfortunately, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport is starting to look a little out of date, and the wait for a UBER or Lyft trip can take more than 10 minutes, which is not the case at the MIA. On the positive side, FLL is more relaxed and less crowded than the MIA and has TSA lines much shorter than the MIA.
The airport is also home to low-cost airlines like Spirt, Southwest and JetBlue, making it more often a cheaper way to visit South Florida than flying to Miami. Whichever airport in South Florida you select, make sure and monitor the weather even with small tropical storms causing domino delays during the hurricane season between June and November.
If you used MIA and FLL, we would love to read which one is your favorite and why in the comments.