Key West's Airport: An Essential Travel Gateway

Key West is a tiny island located 90 miles off the coast of Florida. It is closer to Havana, Cuba, than Miami, Florida. The island has its own airport, Key West International Airport (EYW), which is located on the eastern end of the island. The airport is served by several major airlines, including Delta, American, United, Silver Airways, JetBlue, and Allegiant Air, which offer non-stop service to various destinations across the United States. The airport is also a vital part of the county's infrastructure and provides a strong economic foundation for the Florida Keys.

Key West International Airport (EYW)

Key West International Airport (IATA: EYW, ICAO: KEYW, FAA LID: EYW) is located in the City of Key West in Monroe County, Florida, United States. The airport is situated about 2 miles (3.2 km or 1.7 nmi) east of Key West's main commercial centre. It is the closest airport to the island of Key West, which is located 90 miles from mainland Florida.

Key West International Airport is relatively small, with a single 5,076-foot-long (1,547-metre) runway that restricts the size and weight of aircraft that can serve the airport. The airport covers 334 acres (135 hectares) of land and is located just 3 feet (1 metre) above elevation. The runway was extended in 2018 with the addition of 227 feet (69 metres) for takeoffs and landings, as well as 10-foot (3-metre) wide paved shoulders on either side.

The airport has two terminals, with the older ground-level terminal opening in 1957 and now serving arriving passengers. The newer, elevated terminal opened in 2009 and includes ticketing, check-in, and security. The two terminals are connected by an enclosed walkway.

Key West International Airport is served by several major airlines, including American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Silver Airways, United Airlines, and JetBlue Airways. These airlines offer non-stop service to various destinations across the United States, including Miami, New York, Atlanta, Chicago, and more. The airport also accommodates smaller airlines and private jet charters for flights to other cities in Florida and the Bahamas.

The airport's history dates back to 1913 when Augustin Parla made a flight to Cuba, and in 1928, Pan American Airways began scheduled flights from Key West. The airport became known as Key West International Airport around 1953 when Monroe County acquired Meacham Field from the city.

Airlines that fly to Key West

Key West International Airport (EYW) is located directly on the island of Key West. Several major airlines operate flights to the airport from various destinations, including:

Delta Airlines:

Delta Airlines provides non-stop services to Atlanta (ATL) and New York (LGA).

American Airlines:

American Airlines offers non-stop flights to and from Miami (MIA), Philadelphia (PHL), Charlotte (CLT), Dallas (DFW), Chicago (ORD), New York (LGA), and Washington, D.C. (DCA).

Silver Airways:

Silver Airways operates non-stop flights from Ft. Lauderdale (FLL), Orlando (MCO), Fort Myers (RSW), and Tampa (TPA).

United Airlines:

United Airlines provides non-stop services to Houston (IAH), Newark (EWR), Washington-Dulles (IAD), and Chicago (ORD).

JetBlue Airways:

JetBlue Airways offers non-stop flights to Boston (BOS) and New York (JFK).

Allegiant Air:

Allegiant Air provides non-stop services to Tampa (TPA), Asheville (AVL), Indianapolis (IND), Sanford (SFB), Cincinnati (CVG), and Pittsburgh (PIT).

Other airlines that fly to Key West include British Airways, Azul Brazilian Airlines, Alaska Airlines, Air New Zealand, TAP Air Portugal, Virgin Atlantic Airways, and WestJet.

Airports near Key West

Key West is a tiny island located 90 miles off the coast of Florida, closer to Havana, Cuba than to Miami, Florida. Despite its small size, Key West has its own airport, the Key West International Airport (EYW). The airport is located on the eastern end of the island and is just 1.7 miles from the city centre, with the journey taking around 3 minutes.

Key West International Airport is served by several major airlines, including Delta, American, United, Silver Airways, JetBlue, and Allegiant Air. The airport offers non-stop flights to several destinations in the United States, including Atlanta, New York, Miami, Philadelphia, Chicago, and Dallas.

In addition to Key West International Airport, there are several other nearby airports that serve the Florida Keys area. These include the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL), which is a popular alternative for those who prefer a smaller airport with more convenient baggage and car rental facilities. The drive from Fort Lauderdale to Key West is approximately 4 hours.

Another option is the Miami International Airport, which is about a 3.5-4 hour drive from Key West. While Miami is a larger and more bustling city than Fort Lauderdale, some travellers may prefer to avoid the heavy traffic in the area.

For those travelling to the northern end of the Keys, such as Key Largo, the Miami or Fort Lauderdale airports may be more convenient. However, for those headed straight to Key West, the Key West International Airport is the most direct option.

Transport options to Key West

Key West is a tiny island located 90 miles off the coast of Florida, closer to Havana, Cuba than Miami, Florida. There are several transport options for getting to Key West, including air, land, and sea transportation.

Air

The island of Key West has its own airport, Key West International Airport (EYW), located 1.7 miles from the island. The airport provides direct air service to several cities, including Atlanta, Newark, Chicago, Charlotte, Dallas, Washington, D.C., Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, Tampa, and Miami. Airlines that offer non-stop service to Key West include Delta, American, United, Silver Airways, JetBlue, and Allegiant Air.

Land

Key West is accessible by car and is the westernmost island among the Florida Keys that you can drive to. It is approximately a 3-hour drive from Miami and a 4-hour drive from Fort Lauderdale. The Florida Turnpike is the fastest route to the entrance of the Florida Keys, and tolls are charged electronically via your license plate or a SunPass device. Once in Key West, a rental car is not necessary, as most attractions in the historic quarter are within walking distance.

Sea

Ferry service to Key West is available from Fort Myers, with an overnight option for the full-day trip. There is no ferry service to Key West from any other city. While many cruise ships visit Key West, none originate their itinerary from the island. Therefore, it is not possible to board a cruise ship in Key West unless you arrived on that ship.

Key West's Master Plan Update

On 15 August 2018, the Monroe County Commission approved the Key West International Airport Master Plan Update, a comprehensive study of the airport. The last such study was completed in 2003.

The Master Plan Update outlines short-, medium-, and long-term development plans to meet future aviation needs. It is expected that air traffic will increase by an average annual growth rate of 2.4% over the next 20 years, with the airport reaching or nearing capacity in 2035. To accommodate this growth, the update includes plans for a terminal expansion project within the next 6-10 years. The expansion will include a new departure lounge with more space for passengers and concessions, as well as connections to jet bridges that will enhance safety.

The Master Plan Update also demonstrates the airport's continued commitment to addressing sea-level rise. For example, the recent runway improvement project raised the runway by 6 inches.

The Master Plan update process included three technical review committee meetings, followed by three public hearings. Now that it has been approved by the Commission, it will be sent to the Federal Aviation Administration for final approval before implementation.

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