Taking a flight to Key West for the holidays? Here’s what you need to know

You’ve booked a flight to the Florida Keys this holiday season and now want to know all the details about air travel to the island chain.

Spoiler alert: You’ll have plenty of company.

So far in 2021, the Key West International Airport has seen a record-setting 1.4 million passengers, according to Monroe County officials. The previous record was in 2019 when about 865,000 passengers came through.

If you’re flying to the Keys this holiday season, you’re most likely headed to the Key West airport — the only place where the commercial flights land.

Key West’s airport is growing. Monroe County has an $80 million project to build a concourse with jet bridges and it’s set for completion in 2024. For now, passengers walk across the tarmac to board.

Here’s a guide to air travel that leads to the Keys.

Is there more than one airport in the Keys?

There are two airports in the Keys: Key West International Airport and the Florida Keys Marathon International Airport in the Middle Keys.

The Marathon airport operates mostly as a private and charter plane airport. There are currently no regularly scheduled commercial airlines operating at the airport.

It does have a U.S. Customs and Border Protection operation for international travelers, however. The agency’s services are available from Wednesday through Sunday, 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

The Marathon airport’s 8,000-foot airstrip was used as a base of operations for a major airlift of supplies following Hurricane Irma in September 2017.

Where are the airports?

The Key West International Airport is located at 3491 South Roosevelt Boulevard, which is on the southeast corner of the island. It’s operational 24 hours a day year-round. Airline counters open two hours before scheduled departures.

The airport recommends that you get there at least two hours before your departure time. The average checkpoint wait is 15 to 20 minutes, county officials report. Additionally, the airport encourages people to enroll in TSA PreCheck for a quicker trip through security.

The Marathon airport is at 9400 Overseas Highway in the Middle Keys city. It has no commercial flights at the moment.

Which airlines go to Key West?

There are six commercial airlines with routes to the Southernmost City: American, Delta, Silver Airways, Allegiant, JetBlue and United. Take a look at some details, according to the airport’s website.

American Airlines

American Airlines provides nonstop service to Miami, Philadelphia, Charlotte, Dallas, Chicago, New York’s LaGuardia Airport, and Washington, D.C.

Reservations: 1-800-433-7300

Baggage: 1-800-535-5225

Delta

Delta Airlines provides nonstop service to Atlanta, and New York’s LaGuardia Airport.

Reservations: 1-800-221-1212

Baggage: 1-800-325-8224

Silver Airways

Silver Airways provides nonstop service to Fort Lauderdale, Orlando and Tampa.

Reservations: 1-801-401-9100

Baggage: 954-509-7495

United

United Airlines provides nonstop service to Houston, Newark, Washington-Dulles, and Chicago.

Reservations: 1-800-864-8331

Baggage: 1-800-335-2247

JetBlue

JetBlue Airways provides nonstop service to Boston and New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport.

Reservations: 1-800-538-2583

Baggage: 1-866-538-5438

Allegiant

Allegiant Air provides non-stop service to St. Petersburg, Asheville, Indianapolis, Sanford, Nashville and Cincinnati.

Reservations: 1-702-505-8888

Baggage: 1-866-719-3910

How much is parking?

If you have someone waiting to pick you up at the airport in Key West, there is free one-hour parking in the short-term parking lot. It’s located west of the main terminal with the entrance on the right side of Faraldo Circle.

One to two hours costs $6 and climbs up to $15 per day.

From short-term parking, you can walk to an elevator that goes to the main terminal or walk to the arrivals area.

Passengers may be picked up and dropped off curbside outside the airport but that’s only for “active loading and unloading,” airport officials said.

Long-term parking is available east of the main terminal on the left side of Faraldo Circle. There is no free parking here but you can park up to one hour for $3. A full day costs $19.

From the garage, you can take the elevator to the main terminal or walk to the arrivals area.

Parking at the Marathon airport is free.

Can I rent a car?

Are there taxis? What about Uber

At the Key West airport, there is a defined taxi lane outside baggage claim. For ride share services such as Uber and Lyft, you have to go to the blue curb nearby to meet your driver.

The airport includes these taxi services on its website:

Big Al’s Taxi

(305) 745-5134

Florida Keys Taxi

(305) 296-6666

Island Coaches

(305) 293-6860

Key Lime Taxi

(305) 395-1385

Yellow Cab Company

(305) 295-5555

Where can I get food and a drink?

At the Key West airport, the Conch Flyer restaurant is located in the main terminal before you go through security. It is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. with table service and a bar.

After you’ve made it through security, there is a beach bar and a place to buy sandwiches, coffee, sodas among other items. The hours are set to match flight schedules.

And there is even a bar in the baggage claim area that is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. In other words: Welcome to Key West.

Smokers have one last chance before boarding at an outdoor sandy spot just outside the beach bar near departures. The airport also has two Last Chance Gifts stores.

Miami Herald/FLKeysnews.com reporter David Goodhue contributed to this report.

This story was originally published December 22, 2021 at 7:07 PM.

Gwen Filosa

Miami Herald

Gwen Filosa covers Key West and the Lower Florida Keys for FLKeysNews.com and the Miami Herald and lives in Key West. She was part of the staff at the New Orleans Times-Picayune that in 2005 won two Pulitzer Prizes for coverage of Hurricane Katrina. She graduated from Indiana University.