The Cheapest Florida Cities to Fly To
Orlando, Tampa, Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers, or Miami: which Florida airport is cheapest from the North, and when.
By WarBird Flight editors · Updated September 16, 2026 · 2 min read
Orlando and Fort Lauderdale lead
Orlando (MCO) and Fort Lauderdale (FLL) usually post the lowest fares from the Northeast and Midwest because every low-cost carrier competes there alongside the majors. Tampa (TPA) is close behind, and Fort Myers (RSW) is competitive in winter when seasonal nonstops run.
Miami costs more
Miami (MIA) is dominated by American and international traffic; domestic fares run higher than Fort Lauderdale 30 miles north. If Miami is the destination, price FLL too.
Timing
Fares into Florida peak from Christmas through March and over spring break. Late April to early June and September through mid-November are the cheapest windows, with the trade-off of heat and afternoon storms in the earlier one.
Match the airport to where you are actually going
The cheapest fare is a false economy if it lands you two hours from your hotel. Orlando (MCO) is the gateway for the theme parks and central Florida. Tampa (TPA) serves the Gulf beaches around Clearwater and St. Pete. Fort Lauderdale (FLL) and Miami (MIA) both reach the southeast coast, the Keys, and the cruise ports. Fort Myers (RSW) is the closest airport to Naples, Sanibel, and the southwest Gulf. West Palm Beach (PBI) is worth pricing for Palm Beach County, where it can undercut both Miami airports.
- Theme parks / central Florida — MCO
- Gulf beaches, Tampa Bay — TPA
- Southeast coast, Keys, cruises — FLL or MIA
- Naples, Sanibel, southwest Gulf — RSW
- Palm Beach County — PBI or FLL
Weigh the fare against the drive
Florida's airports sit close enough that a cheaper fare into a neighboring city can still win once you add the drive. Fort Lauderdale to Miami is about 30 minutes, and Orlando to Tampa is roughly 90. A one-way rental picked up at the cheap arrival airport and dropped at a different departure airport is common here and lets each leg use whichever airport is cheapest that day. Weigh the fare gap against the drive time and any one-way drop fee before you book the split.
Ask the agent to price all five
On one call an agent can quote MCO, TPA, FLL, RSW, and MIA for your dates; the spread between them on the same day is often more than a car rental. Call (708) 866-8751.
Cheapest recent flights to Florida
From our fare snapshot: the lowest recorded fare on each route into Florida, cheapest first.
- Sat, Oct 17 – Tue, Oct 20Atlanta to OrlandoATL → MCO · nonstopCall(708) 866-8751$32round trip · recorded low
- Thu, Oct 15 – Tue, Oct 20Washington, D.C. to OrlandoWAS → MCO · nonstopCall(708) 866-8751$46round trip · recorded low
- Thu, Nov 12 – Mon, Nov 16Atlanta to Fort LauderdaleATL → FLLCall(708) 866-8751$66round trip · recorded low
- Sun, Nov 1 – Thu, Nov 5Rockford to Fort LauderdaleRFD → FLL · nonstopCall(708) 866-8751$68round trip · recorded low
Recorded fares from cached search data, not live quotes. An agent confirms availability and today's price on the call.
What the data says about flying to Florida
- Low seasonOctoberCheapest month on 38% of the 143 routes with recorded monthly fare history.
- High seasonSeptemberMost expensive month on 21% of those routes.
- Cheapest flight$29Lowest one-way fare recorded recently into Florida from any origin.
All routes, airports, and monthly history: flights to Florida.
Want a person to do this for you?
Licensed agents book, change, and cancel on every airline, 24/7, every day.
