Depart: MCO 9.20am
Arrive: FLL 10.25am

Airline: Southwest
Plane: Boeing 737-700 (twin-jet) 

Southwest Airlines is a major U.S. airline known for its low-cost fares and customer-friendly policies. It was founded in 1967 and operates domestic flights within the United States, with some destinations in Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean.

Since we were headed to board our cruise from Fort Lauderdale, I contemplated driving from Orlando to Fort Lauderdale to return the rental car, but this would incur additional costs, more than the cost of the plane ticket. Hence we decided to return the car in Orlando, then catch this one-hour flight to FLL. Flight ticket is $79 per person, including luggage. The airline focuses on offering affordable fares, open seating, and no baggage fees for checked bags (subject to certain restrictions). Southwest has a reputation for its unique company culture and friendly customer service.

I did the online check-in for the both of us and after the electronic ticket was generated, we could use it for boarding. We had bought check-in luggage as we were carrying liquids, so we went to the counter to get our bags checked. We had to attach the luggage tag on our own after printing the labels, then the staff would verify that the boarding pass matches the destination shown on the luggage tag.

If you did not manage to buy your Harry Potter souvenirs while at Universal Studios, this is the last stop that you can get all your merchandise.

Since it was still early, we grabbed breakfast at the terminal. I was shocked to see that a McDonald’s big breakfast (no set) cos US$7. The portions are not very big either.

The primary colours used in Southwest’s livery are a vibrant combination of red, yellow, and blue. At this satellite boarding area, almost all the planes on the tarmac belong to Southwest. This shows that they fly to many American cities. As to why we chose Southwest, it is not the only airline that flies between Orlando and Fort Lauderdale. There was also Spirit, but based on traveler reviews, Spirit is often late and we do not wish to be delayed, if not we would miss our cruise.

Downsides of Spirit Airlines

• Super early morning or late evening flights – 7.30am or 7.00pm

• Price does not include check-in baggage

• Does not have a good track record of punctuality

Anyway, Southwest airlines was on time. After breakfast, we headed to the boarding gate.

Boarding commenced 40 minutes before take-off. The gate agent checked our passports and scanned the e-boarding ticket. We were good to go. Everyone got on orderly and proceeded to their seats. There was no rush to stuff the belongings in the overhead compartments as we already had our luggage checked in.

While waiting for the plane to take off, we saw jetBlue airways.

The flight was quite uneventful. One hour later, we landed at Fort Lauderdale airport. It serves as a major gateway to the Fort Lauderdale and greater South Florida area. FLL is located about three miles southwest of downtown Fort Lauderdale and is approximately 21 miles north of Miami. For us, we headed straight to the cruise port, it was not cheap at $16 for a short 10 minutes ride. If only there was better accessibility with public transport. As for Royal Caribbean, they do provide a shuttle service which cost $15 per person, so it was even worse.

Will we fly with Southwest again? Yes, of course. The flight was smooth, the check-in was not chaotic and overall the price was reasonable. We also saved time by flying instead of driving from Orlando to Fort Lauderdale, which would have taken 3 hours without traffic.

To travel from Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) to the Everglades cruise port, there are several transportation options available:

1. Taxi: Taxis are readily available outside the terminals at FLL. Simply follow the signs to the designated taxi pick-up area. The journey to the cruise port typically takes around 10-15 minutes, depending on traffic conditions.
2. Ride-Sharing Services: You can use popular ride-sharing services like Uber or Lyft to reach the cruise port. Similar to taxis, you can find designated pick-up areas at the airport.