Flying into Fort Lauderdale instead for a Miami cruise
Compare FLL and MIA for a PortMiami cruise, including the transfer, the drive and the point where a cheaper flight costs more.
Fort Lauderdale (FLL) is worth it for a PortMiami cruise only when the airfare saving beats the longer ride to the ship, both ways, plus any extra hotel night. Miami International Airport (MIA) puts PortMiami about nine miles away. Neither airport publishes an FLL to PortMiami fare or drive time, so that ride is the number you have to price yourself.
Compare the trip you will take
First, check your cruise confirmation for PortMiami and your assigned terminal. Use that terminal for car quotes and map estimates. A quote to a general port address may leave you with the wrong drop-off point.
Price both flights for your whole party, airline charges included. A cheap FLL flight that forces an extra night costs more than one that fits a hotel stay you already planned.
| If you land at | How you reach PortMiami | What it costs |
|---|---|---|
| MIA | Taxi, ride app, or a pre-arranged cruise line transfer. MIA also describes a public transit route using the MIA Mover and City of Miami Trolley. | Taxis run on the meter, with a $2 airport fee and a $15 minimum from MIA. The cruise line sets its own transfer price, and the trolley is free. |
| FLL, by road | Arrange a ride to your assigned PortMiami terminal. | No published fare or time. Get a quote to your terminal for your landing time. |
| FLL, by rail | Check Tri-Rail for the airport-to-Miami connection. | MIA lists Tri-Rail round trips at $3.50 to $9.25 by zone, plus the last leg from Miami to your ship. |
MIA says cruise line buses are pre-arranged. Their MIA pickup points are the north bus station at Concourse D, level 1, Door 1, and the south bus station at Concourse J, level 1, Door 33. Confirm that your cruise line offers a transfer for your flight before counting one in your plan.
The break-even check
Add up the FLL airfare for your party and every ground ride needed to reach the ship. Do the same for MIA. If you fly home from FLL, include the port-to-FLL trip too. Count only the difference in hotel cost: a hotel you would book with either flight doesn’t become an FLL expense in full.
For a group, compare the total flight saving with the total vehicle or ticket cost, not a per-person flight saving against a whole-car quote. If the totals are close, weigh the extra connection and your arrival buffer before buying.
The drive from FLL
Your map app’s estimate from FLL to your PortMiami terminal, for the hour you expect to leave the airport, is the drive time to plan on. Baggage claim and the walk to the pickup point come on top, and a recheck after landing catches traffic that built up while you flew.
If you’re taking a car, confirm the pickup instructions with the operator or ride app. MIA’s pickup doors and curbs don’t apply at FLL.
Rail can save money, but it adds a connection
Tri-Rail is the one FLL option with a published fare, the zone fares in the table. MIA places its Tri-Rail connection at the Miami Intermodal Center, which is also where the trolley leg in the table begins. If you’re going to MIA or a nearby hotel first, the MIA Mover connects the Intermodal Center to the airport. Its MIA station is on level 3 between the Dolphin and Flamingo garages.
Kim and Scott of Sea Trippin’ timed the trip from FLL to MIA by shuttle and Tri-Rail at 2 hours and 23 minutes. The airport shuttle pulled away as they walked up, and a train left while they were still at the ticket machine, so each connection cost them a full wait. In a Your World Passport video, the station machine would not take credit or debit cards, and the advice there is to carry a few dollars in small bills. The Tri-Rail site has the day’s schedule.
Protect the sailing, then plan the flight home
If your flight lands on sailing day, work backward from your cruise line’s final boarding time. Include baggage claim, the FLL pickup or rail connection, the trip to your assigned terminal and room for a delay. If the margin is tight, look for an earlier arrival or a flight the day before. Redeem the Time Travel chose FLL for cost, took a car to Miami and stayed near the cruise terminal the night before.
If a delay eats your buffer, check the live road estimate or next train and contact your cruise line about your sailing. If a bag has not arrived, speak to the airline and tell the cruise line before leaving the airport.
After the cruise, repeat the comparison in reverse. Check your ship’s disembarkation information, your flight departure airport and the time you need to reach it. A cheap FLL return flight still needs a PortMiami-to-FLL ride, priced the same way as the ride in.
Sources
- Our transport overview
- Our terminal guide
- Our taxi guide
- MIA’s frequently asked questions on FLL and cruise transfers
- Tri-Rail’s schedule and fare site
- Traveler videos: Sea Trippin’ w/ Kim and Scott, Tri-Rail from FLL, Your World Passport, FLL to Miami by Tri-Rail and Redeem the Time Travel, Miami before the cruise