Flying into Orlando for Miami departure

[claven]

How odd would it to fly into MCO and then rent a one way car to Miami the day before a cruise? Then rent a car and drive back and fly the same day? It seems there are many more flights in and out of MCO than MIA/FLL and cheaper to be honest.

 

What's the earliest we could fly out of MCO, it seems it's a 3 or so hour drive.

 

Dennis

[956wenbrook]

How much more in a fare are u talking about? Seems the cost savings versus hassle and care rental cost would even things out?

 

 

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Edited October 25, 2016 by 956wenbrook

[Kamloops50]

Going back I wouldn't take a flight the same day unless a red eye. To far to go after the cruise.

 

 

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[ColinIllinois]

That would be the absolute last choice on my travel agenda. Way too much hassle all around.

[riclop]

How odd would it to fly into MCO and then rent a one way car to Miami the day before a cruise? Then rent a car and drive back and fly the same day? It seems there are many more flights in and out of MCO than MIA/FLL and cheaper to be honest.

 

WhaVery odd indeed.t's the earliest we could fly out of MCO, it seems it's a 3 or so hour drive.

 

Dennis

 

Very odd indeed.

[helpmecruise16]

We did it - but that was because we wanted to visit Universal before. The drive isn't bad from Orlando to Miami and we returned the car and took a shuttle to the port. We flew out of FLL on the way home.

 

However, if we weren't spending time at Universal, I definitely would not do it.

[MikeBTN]

My wife and I sailed out of FLL on Allure last November. We ended up flying back home from Tampa because the flights from FLL, MCO, and surrounding areas, for some reason, were over $400pp more than Tampa. Totally worth the 4 hour drive to us.

[kelmac]

We've done it a couple of times, but only flying into Florida pre-cruise. We used to be able to get non-stop flights into MCO, so we would fly there, spend the night, at or near the airport, and take a one way rental down to south Florida (Port Everglades) the day of embarkation. One way car rentals are pretty cheap in Florida.

It was kind of nice! Finding things to do the morning of a cruise can be a challenge, so the three hour drive, with a stop for breakfast, was great. We have three cruises coming up and would do it again in a heart beat (Southwest only offers these flights occasionally).

 

We take "normal" connecting flights back home after the cruise, as we like to spend a couple of days post-cruise in south Florida and we prefer an early morning flight back home.

 

Good Luck!

Kel:)

Edited October 25, 2016 by kelmac

[projectblacklace]

We're flying in to MCO a few days prior to our departure in MIA because we have family there to visit and they're coming on the trip. They're driving everyone from Orlando down to Miami morning of boarding. Then after we are going back with them and flying home out of MCO the next day.

 

BUT

 

If they weren't going with us on this trip- we would have just gone with MIA or FLL.

[bear3412]

This may help those traveling around Orlando and south Florida.

 

https://www.sunpass.com/selectAcceptAgreementPurchaseTransponder.action

 

I highly recommend. Mega time saver. And saves money too.

[pixiedust777]

We are doing this but backwards for our next cruise. Will fly into Miami and then take a one way rental to Orlando. We are going to WDW after the cruise. Totally worth the 4 hour drive. Plus the flight home from MCO will be half the cost of flying into MIA.

[TM38Rob]

FLL Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International airport also serves the Miami area and may be cheaper to fly there. 30-40 minutes away.

[4774Papa]

We live in South Georgia and usually fly out of Jacksonville, FLA airport. In 2013, we had a cruise out of Istanbul and I discovered that United had a super price for RT tickets to Istanbul ($800 pp), while flying out of JAX was about $1200 pp. Orlando is about 2.5 hours more from our home than JAX. The Orlando airport is easy to get into and out of and despite spending the night at a hotel, a bit more in gas and a couple of meals, we still saved about $650 for the two of us, well worth it.

[navybankerteacher]

How odd would it to fly into MCO and then rent a one way car to Miami the day before a cruise? Then rent a car and drive back and fly the same day? It seems there are many more flights in and out of MCO than MIA/FLL and cheaper to be honest.

 

What's the earliest we could fly out of MCO, it seems it's a 3 or so hour drive.

 

Dennis

 

It is virtually inconceivable for it to cost enough less to fly to MCO than to MIA or FLL to cover the costs of two car rentals -which may include extra drop-off charges. It is almost as unlikely that there might be more flights to MCO (from anywhere) than to MIA and FLL combined; especially when your return flight would have to leave three or four hours later than one from an airport close to the port.

 

I believe that it would be extraordinarily odd - especially since you would also be giving yourself the many hours drive.

 

Please let us know what airport you would be flying from - someday when I have the time, I might want to scan available flights/fares (always willing to be astounded by unlikely facts).

[navybankerteacher]

Out of curiosity I checked New York to Miami round trips - random dates 11/8-11/16 against NY - MCO -- LGA to Miami $126, Newark to MCO $145 - both being cheapest. Other city of origin might be different - but not enough to cover the cost of two car rentals.

[Sissaaaaaa]

How odd would it to fly into MCO and then rent a one way car to Miami the day before a cruise? Then rent a car and drive back and fly the same day? It seems there are many more flights in and out of MCO than MIA/FLL and cheaper to be honest.

 

What's the earliest we could fly out of MCO, it seems it's a 3 or so hour drive.

 

Dennis

 

Unless you are landing very early in the morning, or very late at night, it will not be a 3-hour drive. The traffic is horrendous. In fact, if the flight were free, I still wouldn't do that.

[westcoastman]

I have to strongly disagree with the opinions on this. We fly into Tampa and Orlando all the time as the cost savings is typically hundreds of dollars per person. Most of the time we go one way into Tampa or Orlando and hopefully out of Miami IF airfare is within a hundred dollars per person each way. Flying into Miami runs over $300 per person each way. I could go to Europe for less than that. We have seven people going this upcoming trip. You can find cheap one way car rental in Florida pretty easily particularly for one day. I would estimate (each way) about 250 miles of gas, about $15 in tolls plus $3.95 a day for rental toll fee with some car companies only charging for the day you use their system. This is almost always significantly cheaper than flying into Miami. We drop the car at MIA and take the rental car shuttle to the port. What makes it all even more worth it is spending time at the theme parks in Orlando before the trip.

[Cruisin'Christine]

We just flew into Fort Lauderdale for our sailing out of Miami last week. We took a car service (John's Car Service) from Ft Lauderdale to Miami and then a return ride from Miami to Ft Lauderdale. It only takes 45-60 minutes. We had 4 people and it cost $95, including tax, tip, and tolls, each way. The drivers were very accommodating and personable. They met us at the airport with a sign with our name on it. For us, it was definitely worth it to save money on the flight.

[negn]

We just flew into Fort Lauderdale for our sailing out of Miami last week. We took a car service (John's Car Service) from Ft Lauderdale to Miami and then a return ride from Miami to Ft Lauderdale. It only takes 45-60 minutes. We had 4 people and it cost $95' date=' including tax, tip, and tolls, each way. The drivers were very accommodating and personable. They met us at the airport with a sign with our name on it. For us, it was definitely worth it to save money on the flight.[/quote']

 

They are talking about flying into Orlando not Fll

[Sissaaaaaa]

We just flew into Fort Lauderdale for our sailing out of Miami last week. We took a car service (John's Car Service) from Ft Lauderdale to Miami and then a return ride from Miami to Ft Lauderdale. It only takes 45-60 minutes. We had 4 people and it cost $95' date=' including tax, tip, and tolls, each way. The drivers were very accommodating and personable. They met us at the airport with a sign with our name on it. For us, it was definitely worth it to save money on the flight.[/quote']

 

That is Ft Lauderdale, not Orlando.

[4774Papa]

Again, we live in South Georgia and normally fly out of JAX.

 

I mentioned about what we saved on our flights to Istanbul flying out of Orlando.

 

Also, we have taken transatlantic and other flights where we had to rent a car out of Miami for a one way drop at JAX on two occasions. We looked at flights from Miami to JAX and most fly into Atlanta then JAX, and cost too much. We did end a cruise in FLL on a cruise and flew on Southwest to JAX, which was more than a rental, but not a lot more.

 

The one-way rentals from Miami to JAX were less than $80 for a mid sized car. Of course, we had to buy gas, that one tank did it.

[claven]

Sorry, been busy lately.

 

CHI or DTW departing.

 

I've looked at sooo many combinations and flights, so it's all run together. Some other odd issues, a 5 year old and total 7 people, making rental issues.

 

To be honest, the flight combinations in/out of FLL/MIA are odd times. I personally love to fly with southwest, but Jet blue has some good deals. Otherwise we would have an super early flight out of CHI, no problem, we'll get a park and fly. The return flight is the issues, the chepest one I can recall was at 8:55 at night, yikes. Then arrival in CHI at 11 or midnight, then a 2-3 hour drive back home from CHI.

 

Was thinking there are better flight combinations and many more flights in and out of MCO, and interesting cheaper to some degree. Also, it opens up more departure combinations on the CHI, GRR, DTW, southbend etc....

 

So, I agree that it's the the best, but might be a better solution. Just have to make sure we have a later departure out of MCO to allow travel time.

 

We were debating on spending some time at Kennedy Space Center to eat up some time for the later flight.

 

Quite frustrating, indeed.

 

D

[hun]

We did it one year, no problem. Our MCO flight was later in the day and we rented a car to drive to MCO.

Our airfare from MCO was so much cheaper for 4 of us than from MIA, FLL or even PBI.

If you do it, just be sure to rent from a place that doesn't charge an additional one way drop fee.

 

 

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[LrgPizza]

We generally fly into FLL, but then almost always fly home from MCO. Including the rental car, we still save a lot of money, flight times are better, I hate the FLL airport, and it gets us some time at Downtown Disney, or whatever the hell they've renamed it to.

 

If prices and timing were right for the flight down there, we wouldn't hesitate to fly into MCO. It's an easy drive to the Port of Miami from there.

[slynnes]

We have flown into Orlando multiple times to take a cruise out of Miami. We've gotten spoiled with the airfare advantage of arriving Wednesday and Thursday in Florida....and always have great luck finding economical accommodations around Disney.

 

Definitely rent from one of the major rental agencies as they have 1 way drop off with no penalties (National, Avis, Enterprise, etc.) They all also have the toll programs for the "Sun Tolls" so you will be charged via your credit card for the tolls after you rental is complete.

 

We have NEVER had an issue with traffic and find MCO to FLL to be around 3.5 hours, 4 hours to Miami.

 

Enjoy!

Edited October 26, 2016 by slynnes