Top 7 airport-transfer services for Key West in 2026
For most visitors in 2026, the metered taxi stand outside the arrivals hall at Key West International Airport (EYW) is the best way into town. What puts it at #1 is reliability after dark: cabs line up for the late flights from Miami and Atlanta, when rideshare cars thin out, and a taxi meter carries no surge pricing. The ride into Old Town is short.
We scored each service on three things: how reliable it is, what it costs, and whether drivers speak languages other than English. We took points off for surge pricing and for drivers who fail to show up. Key West International Airport sits on South Roosevelt Boulevard, roughly 4 miles east of Duval Street, so most rides to Old Town hotels take 10 to 15 minutes. Because the trip is so short, a metered taxi from the curb comes first on our list. Uber and Lyft usually have plenty of cars at midday, but after the last evening arrivals there tend to be far fewer, and Fantasy Fest week in late October often pushes their prices up sharply. Many cab drivers on the island speak Spanish, which might matter if you're arriving from Latin America.
The most common mistake is renting a car when your whole stay is in Old Town: hotel parking around Duval Street and Truman Annex often runs $25 to $50 a night, and you don't need a car to get around. The free Duval Loop bus and a rented bicycle will get you from Mallory Square to the Southernmost point buoy. The second mistake is assuming a cheaper flight into Miami International (MIA) saves money. The drive down the Overseas Highway is about 160 miles and typically takes 3.5 to 4 hours, longer on a Friday afternoon around Islamorada. The third is landing after about 11pm without a cab booked: the taxi line at EYW can empty out by then, and calling a dispatcher is the safer move.
The taxi stand isn't the right choice for everyone. A group of six with dive gear or golf bags staying at a New Town hotel on North Roosevelt Boulevard will likely do better with a pre-booked van or the hotel's own shuttle. If you're on a budget and heading up the Keys to Big Pine Key or Marathon, look at the Lower Keys Shuttle bus, which runs along US-1 for a small flat fare. If you're arriving on the Key West Express ferry, you dock at the Historic Seaport by Key West Bight and never go near the airport. From there, Bahama Village and the Hemingway House on Whitehead Street are about a 20-minute walk away.
The full list
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EYW arrivals taxi stand (metered cabs)
Cabs queue at the curb outside baggage claim at Key West International Airport, even when the late flights arrive from Miami and Atlanta. The meter runs at a flat rate with no surge pricing, so the fare to an Old Town guesthouse near Duval Street is the same on Fantasy Fest weekend as it is during a quiet week.
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Five 6's Cabs
This is the island's best-known taxi company, easy to spot by its pink cars. Call ahead if you land late or are staying somewhere awkward to reach, like a Truman Annex rental or a Bahama Village cottage, and dispatchers can send a van if you're traveling with luggage or bicycles.
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Uber
Cars are easy to find at EYW in the middle of the day, and the app works well for New Town hotels along North Roosevelt Boulevard. Expect surge pricing during Fantasy Fest and spring break, and long waits after the last evening arrival.
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Lyft
Lyft works like Uber here but has fewer drivers on the island, so waits at the airport pickup zone can run longer. It's worth comparing prices against Uber for a ride to Mallory Square or the Southernmost point area, and it's less dependable late at night.
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Hotel courtesy shuttles
Several resorts on South Roosevelt Boulevard and near Higgs Beach run free airport pickups when you book directly. Confirm your flight number with the front desk first, because many of these shuttles stop running in the early evening.
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Keys Shuttle (MIA and FLL door-to-door)
A shared van that covers the full Overseas Highway from Miami and Fort Lauderdale airports to your hotel in Key West, this suits travelers who found a cheaper flight to the mainland. Book ahead and expect stops in Islamorada and Marathon along the way.
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Key West Transit (city routes and Lower Keys Shuttle)
The cheapest option if you travel light. The Lower Keys Shuttle connects Key West with Stock Island, Big Pine Key, and Marathon, and the free Duval Loop runs around Old Town. Buses come infrequently, and dragging big suitcases on board in the heat is hard work.
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