How long is the flight to Florida?
The average flight time to Florida varies by region, with the shortest flights around 2 hours from the Southern U.S. and the longest averaging 5 hours from the West Coast. Midwestern and East Coast flights to Florida typically range between 2 hours and 20 minutes to 2 hours and 40 minutes.
Overall, the average flight duration to Florida from various U.S. regions is approximately 3 hours, offering quick access to its sunny beaches and vibrant attractions.
There’s never a bad time to take a trip to the beach, right? It’s no surprise that Florida is home to some of the best beaches in the US and a favorite spot for a sunny vacation.
But how long is a flight to Florida?
Your flight time will depend on which US city you fly from and the specific flight route, but we’ve analyzed hundreds of Florida flights to show you the average length of a flight to Florida.
How Long Is a Flight to Florida?
Many travelers find that flying to Florida is the best way to get there, especially if your destination is further than a couple hours’ drive.
So how long is a flight to Florida and what can you expect when you hop on the plane to make your beachy dreams come true?
The answer is widely dependent on where you’re flying from, which part of Florida you’re flying to, and whether or not your flight is direct (nonstop).
Overall, we found that the average flight to Florida takes anywhere from 2-5 hours.
When I first flew the 2 hour and 20 minute route between Nashville and Ft. Lauderdale with my then-3 month old baby, the flight seemed to take forever.
Flying that same route now that she’s a teenager feels like a time warp by comparison. Without juggling bottles, pacifiers, and a jam-packed diaper bag while holding a sleeping infant on my lap, the flight feels blessedly quick.
If you’re hoping to spend as little time on the plane as possible with little ones in tow or just want to get to your destination as quickly as possible, check out which regions and cities have the shortest (and longest) flight times!
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For this analysis, we searched flights to 3 Florida airports to give you an idea of flight times to different parts of the state:
- Miami International Airport in Miami, Florida (South Florida)
- Orlando International Airport in Orlando, Florida (Central Florida)
- Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport in Panama City, Florida (North Florida)
For departure airports, we chose major cities in 4 US regions: East Coast (New York City, NY), Midwest (Chicago, IL), South (Houston, TX), and West Coast (Los Angeles, CA).
All flights we analyzed (except 1 flight departing Los Angeles) are direct flights to Florida with no stops to add to your overall flight time.
While there are options for flights with 1-2 stops, you’ll find excellent availability of nonstop flights from most airports that save you lots of time. Keep reading to see how long a flight to Florida takes from any region of the United States!
How Long Is a Flight to Florida From the East Coast?
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- New York to Miami: 3h 4m+
- New York to Orlando: 2h 34m+
- New York to Panama City Beach: 2h 18m+
Overall, the average length of a flight to Florida from the East Coast (NYC) is about 2 hours and 40 minutes.
It’s fastest to fly to Panama City Beach from the East Coast since it’s in Northern Florida.
Average flight times to each of the Florida cities in our search range from about 2 hours and 15 minutes to just over 3 hours long.
Nonstop flights from New York City to Miami (South Florida) take about 3 hours and 4 minutes to 3 hours and 23 minutes.
Direct flights from New York City to Orlando (Central Florida) are shorter, taking anywhere from 2 hours and 34 minutes to 3 hours and 11 minutes.
Flying direct to Panama City Beach (North Florida) from New York City takes about 2 hours and 18 minutes to 2 hours and 46 minutes.
With moderate flight times to Florida from the East Coast, you can save nearly an hour of flight time by planning your vacation to a Florida city with shorter flights (like Panama City Beach or Orlando).
How Long Is a Flight to Florida From the Midwest?
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- Chicago to Miami: 2h 55m+
- Chicago to Orlando: 2h 30m+
- Chicago to Panama City Beach: 1h 45m+
Overall, the average flight time to Florida from the Midwest (Chicago) is about 2 hours and 20 minutes.
The quickest flight is from Chicago to Panama City Beach in Northern Florida.
Average flight times to different Florida cities range from about 1 hour and 45 minutes to nearly 3 hours long. It all depends on which part of Florida you’re flying to.
Direct flights to Miami (South Florida) from Chicago take anywhere from 2 hours and 55 minutes to 3 hours and 19 minutes.
Flying direct from Chicago to Orlando (Central Florida) takes around 2 hours and 30 minutes to 2 hours and 54 minutes.
Nonstop flights to Panama City Beach (North Florida) from Chicago take about 1 hour and 45 minutes to 2 hours and 9 minutes.
With relatively short flight times to Florida from the Midwest, you can book a flight to the Florida airport nearest your destination without significantly increasing your flight time.
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How Long Is a Flight to Florida From the South?
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- Houston to Miami: 2h 15m+
- Houston to Orlando: 2h 10m+
- Houston to Panama City Beach: 1h 40m+
Overall, the average flight time to Florida from the South (Houston) takes about 2 hours, no matter which Florida city or airport you’re flying into.
The South and Southeast boasts the shortest average flight time to Florida of any US region since it’s geographically closer to the state of Florida.
The shortest flights to Florida from Houston were under 2 hours long and the longest around 2 hours and 15 minutes.
Taking a direct flight from Houston to Miami (South Florida) takes around 2 hours and 15 minutes to 2 hours and 35 minutes.
Direct flights from Houston to Orlando (Central Florida) take anywhere from 2 hours and 10 minutes to 2 hours and 27 minutes.
Nonstop flights from Houston to Panama City Beach (North Florida) are about 1 hour and 40 minutes to 1 hour and 52 minutes long. This is the shortest flight to Florida on our list.
With very short flight times to Florida from Houston, you can fly into the nearest airport to your Florida destination without increasing your overall flight time very much.
How Long Is a Flight to Florida From the West Coast?
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- Los Angeles to Miami: 4h 51m+
- Los Angeles to Orlando: 4h 47m+
- Los Angeles to Panama City Beach: 5h 55m+ (1 stop)
Overall, the average flight time to Florida from the West Coast (Los Angeles) takes about 5 hours and 10 minutes. This includes flights with 1 stop to Panama City Beach.
If you don’t include 1-stop flights to Panama City Beach where no direct flights from L.A. are available, the average (direct) flight time is closer to 4 hours and 45 minutes.
The shortest flights to Florida from Los Angeles were just under 5 hours long with the longest flights at nearly 6 hours.
Direct flights from Los Angeles to Miami (South Florida) are anywhere from 4 hours and 51 minutes to 5 hours and 12 minutes long.
Direct flights from Los Angeles to Orlando (Central Florida) range from 4 hours and 47 minutes to 4 hours and 58 minutes long.
Flights departing Los Angeles for Panama City Beach (North Florida) take about 5 hours and 55 minutes (1 stop) to 7 hours and 55 minutes (1 stop).
With the longest flight times to Florida of any US region, it’s worth planning your vacation around the airports with the shortest nonstop flights (like Orlando or Miami).
Things to Consider
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Planning a trip to Florida might start by asking “How long is a flight to Florida,” but there’s a lot more to it than that. If you want to make the most of your Floridian getaway, keep the following things in mind.
- Choose your destination wisely. With so many great beaches and cities bursting with color, flavor, and history, it can be hard to choose where you want to go in Florida. Check out our list of the best places to visit in Florida to get some ideas and start narrowing the list of potential destinations down!
- Know what time of year to go. Some people prefer visiting Florida at the height of the peak season when it’s hot, humid, and events and activities are in full swing. Others prefer the quieter, cooler months of the year when prices take a refreshing dip. Either way, you’ll need to know the best time to visit Florida (March through May for most travelers).
- Pack the Florida essentials. Going to sunny, hot, sandy Florida means packing some essentials for your comfort and safety. Bring plenty of sunscreen, bug spray, protective gear (like hats, sunglasses, and surf shirts), swimwear, comfy walking/hiking shoes, and baby powder/corn starch to easily dust off sand when you’re leaving the beach. Just make sure to follow the carry on liquid rules and pack liquids larger than 3.4 ounces in your checked baggage!
- Set up price alerts. Flights to Florida can be found dirt-cheap at certain times of year when demand is lower or when airlines run specials on flights to popular destinations. The best way to make sure you don’t miss out is setting up price alerts with sites like Expedia. You’ll get a notification when the price of a flight to your saved destination drops so you can pounce!
- Save on your rental car. Familiarize yourself with how much a rental car costs before your trip. Did you know that renting a car at the airport costs about 40% more than renting from a downtown location? Consider taking a taxi or Uber from the airport to an in-town rental location to save big on your vacation rental.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Travelers who wondered how long a flight to Florida takes also had a few related questions in mind.
Learn about the cheapest months to fly, how far Florida is from popular cities, and why it takes longer to fly back below!
How far is NY from Florida by plane?
New York (NY) is about 980 miles by plane to Panama City Beach in North Florida. Miles by plane are measured in straight-line distance or “as the crow flies.”
New York City is about 1,090 miles away from Miami by plane, so determining the distance means you’ll need to know your Florida destination to get an accurate estimate.
What month is cheapest to fly to Florida?
November is the cheapest month to fly to Florida. November comes after the September-October peak of the fall season and opens up cheaper airfare to Florida when visitor numbers dwindle ahead of winter.
It’s not just cheaper flights you can expect in November - this is also a time when prices drop on Florida hotels and attractions as the low season kicks off and the weather (and water) cools down.
How far is LA to Florida by plane?
Los Angeles (LA) is roughly 1,210 miles away from Florida’s panhandle by plane at the shortest point between the two.
This is a straight-line distance measured “as the crow flies,” so if you’re driving from LA to Florida instead of flying or going further than the panhandle, the distance will be much further.
How long does it take to fly from the UK to Florida?
Overall, it takes about 9 hours and 25 minutes to fly from the UK to Florida. Our flight time analysis looked at departure flights from London, UK to Miami, Orlando, Tampa, and Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.
Each of these flights from the UK to Florida took anywhere from 9 hours and 20 minutes to 9 hours and 30 minutes overall.
Why does it take longer to fly back from Florida?
Flying back from Florida tends to take longer because westbound flights are fighting against the jetstream, or powerful currents of air that flow 60+ miles per hour and span 100+ miles wide.
All east-to-west flights take longer than west-to-east flights because instead of having the wind at their back (which can make the journey faster), they’re flying against the jetstream current.
So, How Long Is a Flight to Florida Overall?
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- Flexible ticket options available
Overall, the average flight to Florida takes about 3 hours from different regions of the United States. This is the average flight time when you factor in routes from the East Coast, Midwest, South, and West Coast.
- The shortest flights to Florida depart from the Southern region (represented by Houston, TX in our analysis) and take about 2 hours on average.
- The fastest flight to Florida? The route from Houston to Panama City Beach with a flight time of just 1 hour and 40 minutes.
- The longest flights to Florida depart from the West Coast (represented by Los Angeles in our search) and take around 5 hours and 10 minutes on average.
Flights to Florida from the Midwest and East Coast are somewhere in between, taking anywhere from 2 hours and 20 minutes (Midwest) to 2 hours and 40 minutes (East Coast) on average.
So, with so much to see and do, what are you waiting for — book your trip today and experience for yourself all that the lovely state of Florida has to offer. Happy travels!