How do I get to Fort Lauderdale?

Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International (FLL) sits 5 km south of downtown, close enough that you'll spot palm trees lining the terminal approach from your taxi window. Spirit Airlines runs its largest US hub here, with JetBlue, Southwest, and United filling out the domestic schedule. From New York JFK or Newark, nonstop flights take about 3 hours and cost $80-250 round-trip depending on when you book. From Chicago O'Hare, plan on 3.5 hours and $120-300. Canadian snowbirds fly direct from Toronto on Air Canada and WestJet for CAD 300-600, about 3.5 hours. From the UK, there's currently no nonstop to FLL. You'll connect through a US hub on American, Delta, or United for £500-900. Budget carriers like Spirit and Frontier can pull domestic fares below $60 one-way in shoulder season, but those seats come without a carry-on and the legroom is tight enough that your knees press against the seat ahead.

Miami International (MIA), 45 km south on I-95, is the better door if you're arriving from Europe or Latin America. British Airways, American, and Virgin Atlantic fly nonstop from London Heathrow in about 9.5 hours for £450-800 round-trip. Air France connects through Paris CDG, Lufthansa through Frankfurt. Getting from MIA to Fort Lauderdale by car takes 35-50 minutes without traffic, but I-95 northbound after 4 PM can double that easily. The better option is Brightline, the private rail service that opened its MIA station in April 2023. It covers the run to Fort Lauderdale in about 30 minutes for $15-25 one-way. Fort Lauderdale's Brightline station sits near NW 2nd Avenue and NW 4th Street, a quick 5-minute rideshare from Las Olas Boulevard. The trains are quiet, the Wi-Fi works, and the seats feel like business class compared to Tri-Rail's narrow commuter benches.

From FLL itself, rideshare pickup is on Level 1 of each terminal. A ride to Fort Lauderdale Beach runs $12-20 and takes 10-15 minutes. Broward County Transit Route 1 covers the same ground for $2, but the bus takes 40 minutes and the signage at the airport stop is poor. If you're renting a car, every major company has a desk in the rental car center connected to terminals by a free shuttle. Prepare yourself for the walk from the terminal to the pickup curb in summer. The humidity hits immediately. August temperatures currently sit around 33°C with a heat index near 41°C, and the air carries that thick mix of jet fuel, warm concrete, and salt drifting in from the Intracoastal a few blocks east. Have sunglasses and water ready before you clear baggage claim. The afternoon sun is strong enough to burn unprotected skin in 15 minutes flat.

I-95 runs straight into Fort Lauderdale from the northeast. New York to Fort Lauderdale is about 2,000 km and 19 hours of driving. The Florida Turnpike shaves time south of Jacksonville for $20-30 in tolls. From Orlando, it's 3 hours on the Turnpike. Port Everglades, handling about 4 million cruise passengers a year, sits at the south end of the beach strip, 3 km from downtown. Pre- and post-cruise travelers should book hotels on SE 17th Street or along the beach rather than inland to avoid a second transfer. Fares to FLL drop 30-40% in September and early October, the dead zone between summer family travel and snowbird season. Tuesday and Wednesday departures from the northeast tend to carry the lowest prices. Palm Beach International (PBI), 70 km north, works as a fallback for the northern suburbs but adds a 45-minute drive south.