Is this cutting it too close from Fort Lauderdale?

[lola4795]

If I book a 1pm return flight out of Punta Gorda when we are returning to Fort Lauderdale Port Everglades? I don't want to risk it if it's not enough time!

[fishywood]

How are you planning on getting to PGD? It is at least a 2 hour 10-15 minute drive. If you were planning to do a one-way rental car that morning after disembarkation you could be spending another hour-plus picking up and dropping off especially on the weekend. To get to PGD by 11:00 you would need to be at a rental car office in Ft Lauderdale 7:30-7:45 at the latest. So you may have to go to FLL airport to pick up a car as early as the first walk-off time from your ship depending on the opening hours of the on-street office of your agency of choice.

 

And since you are flying Allegiant you have to remember that if you miss your flight they have no interline agreements with airlines from other nearby airports (RSW or SRQ). Nor will they put you on a different routing of theirs from PGD even if it will get you back home much quicker than waiting for the next scheduled identical Allegiant flight. Just lotsa risk overall here.

Edited September 2, 2018 by fishywood

[lola4795]

Yes. Renting a car and flying Allegiant. When you spell it out the way you just did, it really does seem too risky! Thanks for helping me sort through it. :)

[Corby114]

If airfare is too expensive from Fort Lauderdale check Miami or West Palm Beach. Miami is approximately thirty minutes from Port Everglades and West Palm Beach is approximately an hour away. I have flown home from all three airports to Newark, New Jersey numerous times over the last forty years.

[lola4795]

If airfare is too expensive from Fort Lauderdale check Miami or West Palm Beach. Miami is approximately thirty minutes from Port Everglades and West Palm Beach is approximately an hour away. I have flown home from all three airports to Newark, New Jersey numerous times over the last forty years.

 

My main motivation for this was that the tiny airport we would fly out of has free parking. It's a huge bonus since we live 1+ hours from the airport and I don't like asking people for airport rides. I've moved on now and will just do MIA or FLL. :)