You're standing at the baggage carousel in Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International (FLL), and your cruise leaves from Miami in three hours. Or maybe you've snagged a cheaper flight into FLL but your connecting flight to South America is waiting down at MIA. Either way, you're staring at your phone, trying to figure out if the distance from FLL to Miami Airport is a quick hop or a logistical nightmare.
Honestly? It’s both.
Technically, we are talking about roughly 28 to 31 miles. That sounds like nothing. If you were in Montana, you’d be there in 25 minutes. But this is South Florida. Here, distance is measured in "I-95 minutes," which is a unit of time that defies the laws of physics and common sense.
The physical gap between these two hubs is a straight shot down the coast, but the actual experience of moving between them depends entirely on the time of day, your budget, and how much you trust the Brightline schedule.
The Raw Numbers Behind the Distance from FLL to Miami Airport
Let’s get the geography out of the way first. Most GPS units will tell you the distance from FLL to Miami Airport is exactly 30 miles if you take I-95 South. If you opt for the Florida Turnpike, you’re looking at about 34 miles.
It’s a short trip on paper.
But talk to anyone who lives in Broward or Dade County, and they’ll tell you that the mileage is the least important part of the equation. You’ve got the Golden Glades Interchange—a spaghetti-junction nightmare where I-95, the Turnpike, and SR 826 meet—sitting right in the middle of your route.
If you land at FLL at 8:00 AM on a Tuesday, that 30-mile drive can easily take 90 minutes. If you land at 11:00 PM on a Sunday, you might zip down there in 35. Traffic in Miami isn't a suggestion; it's a living, breathing entity that hates your schedule.
Why the Route Matters
Most people just follow Google Maps blindly. Bad move.
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The standard route takes you out of FLL, onto I-595 West for a hot second, and then south on I-95. It’s the most direct way to cover the distance from FLL to Miami Airport. However, I-95 has Express Lanes. These are toll-only lanes that require a SunPass. If you’re in a rental car without a transponder, stay out of them unless you want a $25 "administrative fee" from Hertz later.
Then there’s the "back way." Taking US-1 (Biscayne Boulevard) is technically shorter in distance but takes twice as long because of the roughly 400 traffic lights between Hollywood and Miami. Don’t do it. Just don’t.
The Cost of Crossing the Divide
How you choose to cover that 30-mile gap says a lot about your travel personality.
Rideshares like Uber and Lyft are the default for most people. On a normal day, an UberX from FLL to MIA will run you between $45 and $65. If it’s raining, or if there’s a massive festival like Ultra or Art Basel, expect that price to skyrocket to $120. Surging is real, and it’s brutal.
Pro tip: Walk to the FLL departures level before calling your ride. It’s often less chaotic than the arrivals pick-up zones, though some drivers might give you a look.
If you’re looking for a cheaper way to bridge the distance from FLL to Miami Airport, there’s the Tri-Rail. It’s the commuter train. It costs about $5.00. Yes, five bucks. But there’s a catch. You have to take a shuttle from the FLL terminal to the Dania Beach Tri-Rail station, wait for the train, and then take another shuttle or a people mover at the Miami end. It’s a two-hour ordeal for a 30-mile distance.
Brightline: The Game Changer
We have to talk about Brightline. It’s the shiny, high-speed rail that looks like something out of a sci-fi movie compared to the aging Tri-Rail.
While Brightline doesn't go directly into the airports yet, it connects downtown Fort Lauderdale to downtown Miami in about 30 minutes. You’d take a 10-minute Uber from FLL to the Fort Lauderdale station, ride the train to Miami Central, and then another 15-minute Uber to MIA.
Is it faster? Not necessarily when you add up the transfers.
Is it more comfortable? Absolutely.
They have cocktails and leather seats. If you’re stressed about the distance from FLL to Miami Airport, a drink on a train is a solid way to decompress.
What No One Tells You About the "Levee" Effect
In South Florida, we have what I call the "Levee Effect." Because the Everglades are to the west and the Atlantic is to the east, all traffic is funneled into a very narrow North-South corridor.
There is no "going around" the traffic.
When an accident happens on I-95 near Hallandale Beach—and it will—the distance from FLL to Miami Airport feels like it doubles. There are no side streets that will save you. You are stuck between the swamp and the sea.
This is why experienced travelers always build in a four-hour buffer. If your flight arrives at FLL at noon and your MIA flight leaves at 3:00 PM, you are living on the edge. You might make it, but your cortisol levels will be through the roof.
The Airport Shuttle Secret
Most people forget that private shuttles exist. Companies like GO Airport Shuttle operate right out of FLL. You can find their kiosks outside the baggage claim.
The beauty of the shuttle is that the price is fixed. Unlike Uber, which can fluctuate wildly, a shared shuttle is going to cost you roughly $30-$40 per person. If you’re traveling solo, this is the sweet spot between the dirt-cheap Tri-Rail and the pricey private Uber.
Plus, these drivers do this route twenty times a day. They know exactly which lane of the Golden Glades is moving and which one is a parking lot.
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Seasonal Madness
Miami isn't just a city; it’s a destination. This affects the distance from FLL to Miami Airport in ways you wouldn't expect.
During "Season" (roughly December through April), the population of South Florida swells by hundreds of thousands. Snowbirds, spring breakers, and cruise passengers clog the arteries. During these months, the 30-mile drive is never 30 minutes. It’s 60, minimum.
Then there are the "King Tides." Occasionally, parts of the route near the coast or the airports can experience minor flooding on sunny days just because the tide is high. It’s a Florida thing. It slows everyone down to a crawl.
Practical Next Steps for Your Journey
Don't let the 30-mile gap ruin your trip. Here is how you handle the distance from FLL to Miami Airport like a local who has done this a thousand times.
First, check the Brightline schedule before you even land. If there’s a train leaving within 45 minutes of your arrival, grab a ticket on your phone. It’s the most predictable way to travel, even if it requires two short Uber rides on either end.
If you decide to drive or rideshare, look at the "Waze" app the moment you hit the tarmac. Don't wait until you're in the car. If I-95 is deep red, tell your driver to take the Florida Turnpike. It’ll cost a few dollars more in tolls, but it stays moving when the 95 is at a standstill.
Check your terminal at MIA before you leave FLL. Miami International is huge and shaped like a giant horseshoe. Being dropped off at Terminal J when you need Terminal D is another 15-minute walk you don’t have time for.
Lastly, if you have a massive layover—say, six hours—don't sit at the airport. The distance from FLL to Miami Airport puts you right next to Hollywood Beach or the Design District in Miami. Drop your bags at a luggage storage service and go get some Cuban coffee. Turn a stressful transfer into a mini-vacation.
South Florida is chaotic, beautiful, and poorly planned. Respect the 30 miles, plan for the traffic, and you'll get to your gate with time to spare.