• GREATER MIAMI METRO AIRPORTS

While Miami Airport is huge and has countless domestic & international airlines with direct and connecting flights to all parts of the world, Fort Lauderdale to the north of Miami offers a more sedate environment, but with fewer flight choices.

1. Miami International Airport MIA, 9 miles NW of Miami, south-east Florida, is the third-busiest airport in the U.S. It hosts all major airlines, has direct flights from most major cities and is within a short drive to Miami hotels. However, it is crowded with intermittent gridlocks, harder to get around, and hosts fewer discount carriers. That said, passport and customs control for International Arrivals has improved considerably in recent years, with a more efficient procedure to move passengers through quickly. Whether you head for the Everglades or for the Florida Keys, or merely for Miami Beach or South Beach, transportation is just a few steps away. Have an umbrella ready, as a sudden downpour can drench you in minutes.

2. Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport FLL, 27 miles north of Miami, a 40-minute drive, is a smaller and less crowded airport with more available discount operators. However, it has fewer choices of airlines and direct flights. Beware of check-in crowds on Friday and Saturday evenings! For a good part of the year the Port of Fort Lauderdale unloads its cruise ship passengers who will flock to the airport for their way home.

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