So how bad is the miami airport really?

[golf4food]

Pricing out flights it is $300 less expensive to fly into Miami vs FLL. We depart from FLL. A one day rental for is about $40, give or take depending on what car we have. It sounds like a no brainer to me but is the Miami airport really that bad? We will arrive the day before and drive to FLL. It sounds like the rental places will bring you to the port--will they pick you up if you have a car reserved after the cruise?

 

I have a call into a travel agent but with the holidays she hasn't gotten back to me and we are kind of in a time crunch--need to get something booked today if we go so I can get our youngest in tomorrow to get fast passports!

[Bequia]

It's not bad enough to give up a $300 dollar savings. You've planned it well with the rental car aspect. You'll be fine.

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[Keith1010]

I agree. I prefer Fort Lauderdale over Miami but for the $300.00 before the rental I would go with Miami.

 

Keith

[98Charlie]

IMHO neither airport is a fun place. FLL can be a real hassle if you have to wait to fly out. Check out This Thread.

 

Your saving $300 on the flight. The rental is $40 (each way I assume) plus some taxes, etc. So you're saving $200. Still a good plan.

 

Charlie

[PINEVIEW01]

MIA is really, really bad. I fly out of FLL as I usually get it from MI for less, go figure:D

 

For $300 less and the cruise going out of MIA, I'd do it for sure. Just make sure you take a latter flight.

 

MIA should know how to handle cruise traffic. But, they don't. If you have a ealy flight you stand in the same line with thte people catching flights 3, 4 hours and more out.

[BlueHerons]

Pricing out flights it is $300 less expensive to fly into Miami vs FLL. We depart from FLL. A one day rental for is about $40, give or take depending on what car we have. It sounds like a no brainer to me but is the Miami airport really that bad? We will arrive the day before and drive to FLL. It sounds like the rental places will bring you to the port--will they pick you up if you have a car reserved after the cruise?

 

I have a call into a travel agent but with the holidays she hasn't gotten back to me and we are kind of in a time crunch--need to get something booked today if we go so I can get our youngest in tomorrow to get fast passports!

 

I often can find rentals on hotwire for $20 per day. I'd certainly fly into MIA to save $300.

[Cassandra]

Well, I can't complain. I'm flying out of JFK (NY) to Miami next October for our cruise. I'm paying $228.80 roundtrip including the taxes. That is like dirt cheap!

 

Seriously guys, if the airline rates are low now, book them! Gas prices always seem to go up in the spring.

[luski]

Changing the MIA topic slightly, a question about this airport from an infrequent west coast visitor: Is there anywhere on site that sells liquor other than that of the duty-free variety? And if not, how far to the nearest off-site stop? The airport authority map online is not helpful. Regards,

[SwingingBiCruisers]

Our recent experience in MIA (in Sept 2007) was our worst experience in an airport EVER and we travel extensively. However, I will say, arriving was fine, it was departure on AA that was a nightmare beyond nightmares.

 

We are flying into FLL in February for our next cruise out of MIA...

[UpstateCruizer]

This type of question is really tricky to give an answer to. Any airport has the potential to be bad depending on the circumstances of the day. I often read where people say "it was a nightmare" in reference to an airport, but actually it was their experience with their airline that was the nightmare and not the airport itself. We've flown into and out of Miami twice. After hearing people talk about it being bad we expected a nightmare. It was a breeze each time. My husband prefers to it to our experience at Orlando airport. I wouldn't hesitate to fly into Miami :)

[SwingingBiCruisers]

This type of question is really tricky to give an answer to. Any airport has the potential to be bad depending on the circumstances of the day. I often read where people say "it was a nightmare" in reference to an airport, but actually it was their experience with their airline that was the nightmare and not the airport itself. We've flown into and out of Miami twice. After hearing people talk about it being bad we expected a nightmare. It was a breeze each time. My husband prefers to it to our experience at Orlando airport. I wouldn't hesitate to fly into Miami :)

 

exactly - that's why I pointed out that only the AA part of the airport was like a warzone :(

[PrettyCruiser]

I personally like the MIA airport. As long as you leave yourself enough time, I have never had an issue. I frequently use this airport for cruises as well as to visit the Florida Keys and have never had an issue, but we also don't check luggage. I have heard a lot of issues with lost luggage, but that seems to be everywhere now.

 

Hope this helps.

[barbarah33]

What was so bad with American in and out of Miami? I also saved a couple hundred dollars by flying in and out of Miami for a cruise that is sailing in and out of Miami. (Usually we would fly in and out of Fort Lauderdale but we figured why not save the money and use it for cocktails on the lido deck?) Of course after reading this you have me wondering if we made a huge mistake? We also both have flights on the last day of the cruise before noon - after 11am but before noon. Do you think that will be a problem?

[PrettyCruiser]

barbarah33What was so bad with American in and out of Miami? I also saved a couple hundred dollars by flying in and out of Miami for a cruise that is sailing in and out of Miami. (Usually we would fly in and out of Fort Lauderdale but we figured why not save the money and use it for cocktails on the lido deck?) Of course after reading this you have me wondering if we made a huge mistake? We also both have flights on the last day of the cruise before noon - after 11am but before noon. Do you think that will be a problem?

I wouldn't lose sleep over it, but I would make sure that I am off the ship as early as possible. I have had a flight shortly after noon and had to wait for a couple hours in the airport.

[Natanni]

Okay, so I have not flown since 1997, and now I picked this horrible airport to fly to? GREAT :rolleyes: I flew often pre-1997, and our home airport Minneapolis always seemed without many issues. So is it my understanding from this thread that MIA has alot of issues with plane delays and lost luggage? Just trying to figure why it is so bad to prepare. Our return flight leaves MIA @ 415 pm-should we just go sit and wait at the airport?

[UpstateCruizer]

Okay, so I have not flown since 1997, and now I picked this horrible airport to fly to? GREAT :rolleyes: I flew often pre-1997, and our home airport Minneapolis always seemed without many issues. So is it my understanding from this thread that MIA has alot of issues with plane delays and lost luggage? Just trying to figure why it is so bad to prepare. Our return flight leaves MIA @ 415 pm-should we just go sit and wait at the airport?

 

 

I would not say that Miami is in any way horrible :) I actually enjoy airports and the experiences each of them brings. Plane delays and lost luggage can happen at any airport. Flyertalker had an excellent post on what you can do to help yourself in the even your luggage is lost or misplaced. I'll go see if I can find the post. As far as going to the airport and waiting all day that won't be possible unless your sailing offers a bag transfer service. Most airports won't let you check your luggage until a specific amount of time before your flight. I think Miami is 3 hours. You'd be sitting there with your luggage for a long time. *Sometimes* too much preperation can turn an otherwise uneventful situation stressful needlessly :) I'll look for flyertalk's post and put it on this thread for you :)

[skandls]

We flew out from MIA on Sunday Dec 9th on American Airlines. When we got to the airport about 9:30 it was very chaotic with long long lines all over the place. We did not use the luggage valet service as we had a 3pm flight so we had a lot of time.

 

We spent an hour in the line to check our luggage and get our boarding passes. There were lines for people who had boarding passes but had to check luggage. Getting through security took another 30 minutes.

 

I would suggest you use the luggage valet so all you have to do is find the security line when you get to the airport.

[Cassandra]

If you are super worried about lost luggage, ship it to your destination.

 

It's the newest thing, handled by Fed Ex or UPS (or both), haven't heard one complaint yet about lost luggage.

[SwingingBiCruisers]

What was so bad with American in and out of Miami? I also saved a couple hundred dollars by flying in and out of Miami for a cruise that is sailing in and out of Miami. (Usually we would fly in and out of Fort Lauderdale but we figured why not save the money and use it for cocktails on the lido deck?) Of course after reading this you have me wondering if we made a huge mistake? We also both have flights on the last day of the cruise before noon - after 11am but before noon. Do you think that will be a problem?

 

Flying in was NOT a problem. Flying out was. We were off the ship early as we usually stay and extra day, but this cruise we had to hussle to the airport. No problem, until you get there. Mass chaos with no one directing people, and the stanchions all grouped together I guess from the night before. You couldn't even see the counter with the mobs of people trying to get helped. I couldn't even find signs directing where to go. They want you to check yourself in on the computers (which were buried in the mobs) and then go to the agent to weight and drop off your luggage. Finally found a live person in an AA outfit and asked her where to go and here is how the conversation went:

 

me:"Hi, we're trying to find a gate agent"

her:"Are you traveling First class?"

me:"no, coach, but we have a problem and need to see an agent, which counter?"

her:"I can only help people in First Class"

(I was NOT at a First Class counter, nor was she)

me:"Can you give us a general idea of where to go?"

her:"No, I can only help people traveling First Class"

 

So I finally find a more helpful person who actually walks us to where we are supposed to be, and then starts yelling at people about not being in line. So, we have to drag our luggage thru the crowd of people fighting for self-check in kiosks and finally get an agent, who was helpful. She tagged our luggage (we watched - last flight on AA bags arrived days after we did because they never got their tags on them) and then directed us to security. We moved that way and then got screamed at by another AA person for going the wrong way. She came running over pointing another way to go until i pointed out that someone had FINALLY put the stanchions up and we couldn't go that way. So, MS. Brainiac then took the stanchions back down.

 

Once we got done with AA the rest of the airport was fine. A tip, AA was a mob scene but if you walk down to another airline you can get thru security with virtually no wait.

[barbarah33]

Thank you all very much. Like I said I has been years since I have flown into or out of Miami so now I am prepared. It seems, after reading all these posts, that even though we will only have one bag each we would still be wise to pay Celebrity and use the luggage service they offer. That way I believe we can skip the AA check-in line, etc. and just head straight through security? Do you all agree?

[ClipperMiami]

I've flown in and our of MIA, and most of the world's major and many minor airports, since 1970. During that time the airport was "Under Construction" to one degree or another almost every day. While that isn't an excuse it certainy makesl some chaos understandable. They've rebuilt the entire terminal building at least twice in that time, all while the building was in use the whole time.

 

I believe the problems at MIA stem from the constant construction and turmoil and the pressures it places on staff and passengers. Frankly, as chaotic as it tends to be I'd rather fly in/out of MIA than a great many other major airports. But at the end of the day an airport is an airport --- few of them are wonderful, most are just tolerable.

[Bequia]

I believe the problems at MIA stem from the constant construction and turmoil and the pressures it places on staff and passengers.

 

How about mismanagement and the control of the airport being in the hands of the county commissioners versus an airport authority. Definately contributes to the problems.

 

 

 

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[98Charlie]

Thank you all very much. Like I said I has been years since I have flown into or out of Miami so now I am prepared. It seems, after reading all these posts, that even though we will only have one bag each we would still be wise to pay Celebrity and use the luggage service they offer. That way I believe we can skip the AA check-in line, etc. and just head straight through security? Do you all agree?

 

Haven't cruised Celebrity for a couple of years but do remember our last X cruise. We took advantage of Celebrity's luggage service. Went straight to airport with our carry on and got on the plane with no worries.

 

Our plane was delayed and we missed our connecting flight in Atlanta. Long story short, we had to spend the night in Atlanta and landed in our hometown airport the next morning. Our luggage checked through by Celebrity was waiting for us safe and sound -- made it home the night before we did.:D

 

I'd use the luggage service again with no qualms at all.

 

Dianne