You can soon fly from Fort Lauderdale to Key West and back in a day
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My ride. Photo: Naomi Feinstein/Axios
Tropic Ocean Airways will soon offer flights to Key West directly from Fort Lauderdale that will get you there in under an hour.
Why it matters: For a little over $200 one-way, you can avoid losing your sanity during what's typically a four-hour drive or going through security at Miami International Airport.
- The only current direct commercial flight to Key West is flown out of Miami via American Airlines.
Context: Founded in 2009 by military veteran Rob Ceravolo and Nick Veltre, Tropic operates a fleet of 11 seaplanes for private charters and scheduled flights from South Florida to the Caribbean.
Driving the news: Ahead of the Nov. 27 launch, Tropic invited me alongside other journalists to try its new "Keys in a Day" experience — a $500 round-trip flight to and from Fort Lauderdale that gives you eight hours to explore Key West.
Zoom in: The airline operates out of a private terminal just west of Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport.
- I arrived just 30 minutes before my 9am departure at Sheltair Aviation. Valet parking was complimentary.
- Once the whole group arrived, one of our two pilots gave us a quick safety briefing and we were ready to go. We walked right onto the tarmac and boarded the nine-seat seaplane.
- By 9:08am, we were in the air. The flight took us down the eastern shoreline to South Beach, offering sweeping views of coastal skylines and the crystal-blue water along the way.
And at 10:04am, we landed at Key West International Airport.
- If I'd been driving from Broward, I'd be stuck sitting in rush-hour traffic on the Turnpike somewhere in southwest Miami-Dade County.
- We walked right off the plane and arrived at the private Signature Aviation terminal.
The intrigue: The airline plans to offer private charter water landings at The Perry Marina.
After a quick Uber ride, we made it to Ernest Hemingway's house. For those keeping track, it was 10:35am.
- Had I driven, I'd be somewhere around Homestead on my trek.
What we did: We toured the Hemingway house and greeted the dozens of cats living on the property.
- We walked down Duval Street before grabbing a bite for lunch at Lolita's Coastal Cocina for waterfront views and Mexican fare. I'd probably still be on my driving journey at this point.
We finished off the afternoon with some more walking around town and a key lime pie-making demonstration at the Key West Cooking Show.
- We learned how to make what they say is some of the best key lime pie in town and enjoyed a fresh slice.
- Before heading back to the airport, we made a stop for drinks and music at the historic Sloppy Joe's Bar. We were there during Fantasy Fest so you could imagine the crowd.
We made it back to the terminal at 4:50pm and we were in the air by 5:06pm.
- Despite some rain, it was a smooth ride. We landed back in Fort Lauderdale at 5:59pm, where we were greeted with umbrellas to keep us dry.
- And my car was waiting for me right out front.
💭 Naomi's thought bubble: It's a great option, especially for those like me who aren't big fans of road trips.
- You can pack in a fun-filled day without having to spend extra cash on a hotel room.