MIAAirport Guide

Getting to Orlando from Miami airport

MIA to Orlando: nonstop flights on American and Southwest, Brightline from downtown Miami, FlixBus and RedCoach buses, or the drive up the Turnpike, compared.

Florida s Turnpike running through flat green country
Florida s Turnpike

Fly if you’re connecting straight off another flight, and take Brightline, a bus or a rental car if you’re starting from the curb. MIA lists American Airlines and Southwest among the airlines flying nonstop to Orlando International. Brightline’s trains leave from MiamiCentral downtown, which you reach from MIA by shuttle. Greater Miami’s tourism board puts Orlando about 250 miles north, a drive of 4 or 5 hours depending on your stops.

Flying, the train, the bus and the car compared

Option Where it starts Good to know
Fly, American or Southwest American: Concourses D and E. Southwest: Concourse G, counters 383 to 392 If you’re already airside on a connection, you never leave security.
Brightline train MiamiCentral, downtown. Take Brightline’s shuttle from MIA’s Level 2 departures, $12 plus a $3 fuel surcharge About 3 hours on the train, by the tourism board’s count, with very few stops
Bus, FlixBus or RedCoach FlixBus: Miami Intermodal Center bus bays, by MIA Mover. RedCoach: the tourism board says its coaches run from MIA to three Orlando-area stops. Roughly 4 to 7 hours, depending on the route
Drive The Rental Car Center, by MIA Mover Florida’s Turnpike, with electronic tolls

What each way costs

Miami’s tourism board puts one-way flights between Orlando and Miami under $100, train seats from $27 and bus tickets from $24.99. Hiring a ride costs the most: Uber’s MIA-to-Orlando page gives an average price of $336 for 227 miles, around three and a half hours. Amtrak also runs the route, about 6 hours by the tourism board’s count.

Brightline starts with a shuttle from MIA

Brightline doesn’t stop at MIA. Its MIA Airport Connector shuttle leaves from Level 2 departures at Concourse D Door 6, Concourse E Door 11, Concourse H Door 22 and the hotel shuttle area. The two published timetables disagree. MIA lists Monday to Friday from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m., and weekends from 8 a.m. to midnight. Brightline’s own Miami station page says daily, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., with each shuttle leaving 10 minutes after a southbound train arrives. Plan around the shorter hours unless Brightline confirms a later run. Our guide to Brightline from Miami covers the shuttle and the train. If you leave your own car at MIA while you take the train or a bus, see parking at MIA.

The bus leaves from right next to MIA

Our intercity bus page has the walk from the MIA Mover, which you board on Level 3, to the FlixBus bays at 3801 NW 21st Street. RedCoach isn’t listed there, so take its Miami stop from your booking.

Driving takes the Turnpike north

The tourism board calls Florida’s Turnpike the quickest way to Orlando, and it’s a toll road with electronic tolls. Our guide to tolls and SunPass in a rental car explains what to ask at the counter. If you’ll return the car in Orlando, ask about the one-way drop fee before you sign.

Sources