earliest flight you would take?

[miyanc]

Maybe specific to port everglades in my case and I know many will post what times you should book a flight, but I am also curious who has successfully or not, made flights after disembarking?

[Ourusualbeach]

11am would be comfortable for me

[miyanc]

2 minutes ago, Ourusualbeach said:

11am would be comfortable for me

In general or fll specifically?

[Ourusualbeach]

1 minute ago, miyanc said:

In general or fll specifically?

FLL specifically.. Very close to port.  Several have posted about making 9am or earlier flights but not something I would gamble on

Edited August 4, 2022 by Ourusualbeach

[cruiseguy1016]

We booked a 9:30 flight from FLL a few years ago. We did self-debarkation, grabbed a cab and were through security (we have TSA pre-check), sitting at our gate at 7:20.

Edited August 4, 2022 by cruiseguy1016

[Ourusualbeach]

3 minutes ago, cruiseguy1016 said:

We booked a 9:30 flight from FLL a few years ago. We did self-debarkation, grabbed a cab and were through security (we have TSA pre-check), sitting at our gate at 7:20.

With lots of time to spare if things went a bit sideways

[Paintball]

Made it just on time for a 9:45 flight a few years ago, doing self-debarkation and with our cab getting a flat tire on the way to FLL... very stressful but it worked!

[miyanc]

We were planning on driving to the port.  My wife is not a fan.  So we signed up for an aa Citi card and hopefully will get 75k miles in the next few days.  We are 4.  Even with the miles it's still complicated and expensive.  We could just buy tix.  Easier but significantly more expensive. We could fly spirit which seems cheaper, until u need luggage and then realize it's SPIRIT.  There is mia to consider as an option, but first or last flights are cheapest.  We could also use my in-laws buddy passes and fly nonrev.  Or some combination of such.  I had read historically of people getting off and jumping on the first flight.  Figured I would ask.

[loman]

I have an 11:15 am flight booked at FLL .

Keep your bags with you on the last night and do a self-disembark . 

Windjammer opens up early for breakfast , so have a bite  before you leave.

 

[handbellplayer]

Everyone says FLL is the fastest, and it is, but things can happen.  We once had a cruise departing out of FLL, and our ship paused that morning to assist a boat in distress.  We didn't dock until 8:30.  We made our 11:00 flight, but I wouldn't have been comfortable with anything earlier.

 

[miyanc]

1012 flight seems to be the best option.  If need be, we try for that. 

57 minutes ago, loman said:

I have an 11:15 am flight booked at FLL .

Keep your bags with you on the last night and do a self-disembark . 

Windjammer opens up early for breakfast , so have a bite  before you leave.

 

I think there is a 10am ish flight that's cheap. 

[loman]

Just now, miyanc said:

1012 flight seems to be the best option.  If need be, we try for that. 

I think there is a 10am ish flight that's cheap. 

I have been at FLL before 8 am in the past several times. 

Ships typically dock on time , but you never know .

We had a jumper on the last night on the Oasis and the ship was late getting in.

Lots of anxious peeps in the promenade trying to get off . 

My flight that time was around 1 pm so no worries for me.

10 am is a little early for my comfort zone. 

 

[George C]

I would go with 11:30 but I once got to the airport a little before 9 and they let us go on 09:15 flight , we were in suite so we were first to leave after the walk off.

[bgoff60]

11 am.  We have had unannounced 'delays' in getting actually docked at port. (One mile off shore...)  One time it was about 8 am before the started letting folks off.  Bummer   

 

Trust me when I say that it is in the Ships best interest to get cruisers OFF the boat ASAP as they have a double crap ton of activities to complete before they can let the next batch on.  A one hour delay getting off can be a 1-2 hour delay getting on...

 

I know that flying 'right now' is super expensive - but anymore, we do not like to see how close we can make it...It just adds stress that you usually start thinking about it on day 2 - NOT A VACAITION ACTIVITY

[miyanc]

17 hours ago, bgoff60 said:

11 am.  We have had unannounced 'delays' in getting actually docked at port. (One mile off shore...)  One time it was about 8 am before the started letting folks off.  Bummer   

 

Trust me when I say that it is in the Ships best interest to get cruisers OFF the boat ASAP as they have a double crap ton of activities to complete before they can let the next batch on.  A one hour delay getting off can be a 1-2 hour delay getting on...

 

I know that flying 'right now' is super expensive - but anymore, we do not like to see how close we can make it...It just adds stress that you usually start thinking about it on day 2 - NOT A VACAITION ACTIVITY

None of that bothers me.  Getting there is the only issue and historically when we fly it's been bubby passes or non rev.  So, not even having a seat. In those cases we know which flights are open and again many things can happen. We have never travelled on the day of embarkation. Unless it was Charleston, less then 3 hours.  If another port, tampa, fll, mia, port Canaveral that we have used we always stay at a hotel the night before. And if flying we general rule is always the first flight out.  Usually the least full.  We still may fly there standby and then book that 10am flight. Or if it's open, just buddy pass that 1.

[publicpersona]

It is impossible to answer the question "How early can I book my flight?" without knowing the downside to not being able to make the flight, and what alternative flights you'd be able to take.

 

If I was flying Southwest and they had flights at 9, 10, 11, 12, 1, 2, 3 and 4, I'd book 9 AM, and change it to 10 if it looked like I couldn't make, then maybe 11, etc.

 

If I was flying a family of 4 on nonrefundable/nonchangeable $600 fares and my choices were 10 AM or 1 PM, I'd book 1 PM.

 

 

 

[BirdTravels]

On 8/4/2022 at 1:13 PM, miyanc said:

Maybe specific to port everglades in my case and I know many will post what times you should book a flight, but I am also curious who has successfully or not, made flights after disembarking?

9:30. The airport is right outside the gate of the port. 

Edited August 5, 2022 by BirdTravels

[KansasK]

My brother likes to have an early flght. He booked a 9:30 a.m. flight which could have worked if the ship had been cleared on time. He did not get off until 8:30 and got a cab, explained when his flight was, and the taxi driver did his best to get him there as soon as possible. He checked his luggage, had TSA Pre for security and made the flight, but he said it was close. 

 

You never know if something will slow you down.