Miami - Orlando Flights

[Snapper]

Doesn anyone have any recommendations for budget flights between Miami and Orlando?

[jon2211]

Unless you have a specific requirement to fly, it is about 210 miles and can be driven in 3.5 hours if you use the Florida Turnpike. We have done it 3 times. I would have thought that by the time you check in, board, collect your luggage again, pick up your hire car and drive to the villa, it would be longer than the drive.

[Snapper]

I've driven it a couple of times myself Jon, but flying fits a bit better for my next trip.

[Robert5988]

I have trips booked for UK - Mia - MCO on AA for Nov and Jan. It adds 50 pounds to the price for these trips - although usually it is roughly the same price.

I find www.hotwire.com gives best prices for internal US flights.

[domster]

I have no problem driving, usually stay a night at Miami before travelling up. Never flown it.

DOM

[ellie]

Hi Steve!

We have flown with AA to Orlando via Miami (it is an AA hub, so plenty of flights )- very short flight, hardly time to sip our drinks - a great and easy way to travel as you are on a domestic flight so just walk off at the other end, having completed Immigration at Miami. Can thoroughly recommend this as a way of getting to Orlando.

My daughter also flew up to Orlando to join us in our villa in August, got a great flight with Delta Connections, just over $100, and very comfortable - small 'plane, though. She did not have to go to check-in, was all done automatically at the airport with an e-ticket, although she only had hand luggage. Can recommend this operator.

We also regularly drive up to our villa from Miami as our daughter is working in Boca Raton at the moment. The Florida Turnpike is a good road, straight, not too much traffic once you get north of Boca Raton (about 40 miles north of Miami) with good service plazas approximately every 40 miles. However, if you are getting off a transatlantic flight I would not recommend you drive non-stop as you will need to have a break for food, and something to drink. The road is very soporific, very straight, not a lot to see, so you need to be aware of losing concentration.

A plus factor is that you do not have to keep stopping for tolls as you are given a ticket just north of Delray Beach, and you just pay at the end - about $13 each way, plus a couple of tolls just north of Miami.

If you are not very experienced at driving in the US - sorry, not sure whether you are an 'expert' at this - Miami is very busy and you need to keep your wits about you! If your arrival in Miami is very late, it would be wise to book a hotel for the night. However, it may be easier just to get an internal flight and save all the bother.

If you would like to DM I will send you details of the route, plus a map of the Florida Turnpike with all the info you'll need about Service areas etc.

We are driving up in December, and will use the Turnpike.

Ellie

[Ray&Sarah]

Thanks for that info Ellie, we are driving it next weekend as we fly into Miami.[msnsmile2]

[ellie]

Slightly off target, but we have never quite got over driving across the bridge that was used in Miami Vice - when we used to watch it back in the 'hungry 40's' we never expected to see it for ourselves, let alone drive over it.

We love Miami, it certainly is a wonderful melting pot of cultures!

I still get goose bumps when leaving Miami at night looking out of the aeroplane windows and seeing the amazing panorama of twinkling lights below, laid out like a patchwork quilt. Mmmm... can't wait for December!

Ellie

[CarolAnn]

You are right about Miami EllieWits about you needed! We flew home from Miami this year, and the journey from Orlando area was no problem at all, in fact quite enjoyable( we took the H27 all the way, but we had the time!),however, getting into the airport became a bit more of a challenge to be honest[msnscared]We saw parts of the city that I would prefer not to have seen to be honest! I am sure if you arrive there, and then follow the route straight out of the airport,it is fine, we came in via Fort Lauderdale, and were probably a little over relaxed at the time! Would happily fly through Miami again though[msnsmile2][msnsmile2]

[ellie]

Hmm, know what you mean CarolAnn. When we flew back in August we had loads of time at the airport - about 6 hours, so I decided that I just had to go to Walmart to get some melatonin. Actually I also wanted to look at a few other things, but kept that quiet!! It looked really near, so despite my husband's grave misgivings we checked in, dropped off the suitcases and drove out again.

Well, it LOOKED near, but when you get stuck in the traffic going round the airport it certainly wasn't the quick little drive I promised my husband.

To cut a long story (and drive!) short, it took well over an hour to negotiate the traffic jams to get there, and a bit more to get back, plus simply ages to locate the melatonin.

By which time husband was not a happy bunny, as we still had to drop the car off at Alamo, and get the shuttle back to the airport - and although it is usually fairly quick and painless, the shuttle we chose would not leave until it was loaded to the gunwhales, and we had to sit and wait for half an hour while a family finished the paperwork on their car (the family had already sat on the bus before the husband checked in the car, and it took ages!).

So next time I have promised him that once we are at the airport we will not go on a wild goose chase, but relax and have a meal and maybe a little wander round the airport shops, but NO Walmart ever again!

Shame, that really........

Ellie[msnwink]