Advice please: return from MIA instead of MCO?

Hey all,

So, I booked two G fares from LGW to MCO for next October. I gathered from this forum that it would be okay to book the outbound and then when the return became available, to call and ask them to re-ticket as a return. I confirmed this with the agent when I rang, so was happy to go ahead and book. Unfortunately, the return date seems to be unlikely to materialise, but there is availability if I cut the trip short by a couple of days. Anyway, I decided to go for it and rang to do that today - only to basically get a telling off and being told that no, it's not something they do. But as I'd been told they would (and she'd thankfully noted that) they would do it but it was made clear that I was causing them a lot of trouble by doing it.

My question is this though - there is actually availability on the day I want but returning from MIA instead of MCO. I'm a nervous driver over there - is this a fairly straightforward drive?

I'm thinking about calling again and asking for that instead - but I'm nervous about doing that too now as I feel like I don't actually want to call them again.

[mitchja]

It no more difficult driving in the areas around MIA than it is driving around MCO, however, you just have to watch out for automatic toll roads/express lanes. Sat-Navs will generally send you down toll roads and express toll lanes around the airport area. Whilst these are quicker, it will cost you.

At MIA, the car hire centre is quite well organised with all the car hire companies under one roof and you just follow the signs and use the monorail to get to/from the terminal.

You will need a SunPass transponder for the cashless tolls in and around Miami. You will not be able to pay cash. You need to do some research about this as some hire car firms charge an arm and a leg for the transponder hire. Alamo are one of the cheapest. With Alamo, the transponder is in the car and is activated the first time you go through a SunPass lane at a toll plaza. Your credit card will be charged after your return the car.

The drive from Orlando to Miami is long and tedious and not one I would want to tackle even after 20 years of driving in the USA. The interstate is very, very busy. The drive itself will take around 4 hours depending on traffic, so you need to make sure you have a really good buffer timewise to catch your flight.

is it worth flying then I wonder? The flight back from MIA isn't until 9pm so I could get a flight MCO/MIA and then connect?

I bought a SunPass transponder from Publix and now just take that with me for Florida trips. The turnpike is an incredibly easy yet dull drive. The traffic picks up the closer you get to Miami but it’s no different (I would argue marginally better) than the driving you witness on the I-4 around WDW.

Unsure how long it’s going to take them but there’s quite a bit of roadworks going on around MIA at the moment.

Did you plan to hire a car in Orlando anyway? You can always take a MegaBus which drops you off just outside MIA. It's reasonably priced at anywhere from $1 to $26 and frequent. There are other shuttle and chauffeur companies that will take you between the two locations as well but they can get pricey. Google will bring up many of these options.

[mitchja]

I know AA have a none-stop direct flight between MCO and MIA. I’m not sure about any other carriers though sorry.

Unsure how long it’s going to take them but there’s quite a bit of roadworks going on around MIA at the moment.

I second this. The roadworks seem to have been “works in progress “ for many years now.

Despite all the signage I have yet to drive to MIA without getting lost at the final hurdle ! I find it very easy to get out of however!

okay! I've gone for the return from MIA as I really don't want to have to cut the holiday short and I'm getting a taxi from the airport so leaving from LGW and returning to LHR isn't an issue. And who knows, a G might still come up from MCO on my date though I won't hold my breath as it's school hols week!

[honey lamb]

I did just that a couple of weeks ago and found it easy enough. We rented a car in Orlando complete with SatNav and the journey took just about four hours and we made it to the car rental place without too much fuss.

We did this recently. Into MCO and out from MIA.

It a vey easy drive. Big easy roads and if you get your car from a company like Alamo that includes Sunpass tech you can go through the fast lanes and not have to worry about tolls.

Sadly Miami is a bit of a nightmare right now because of the roadworks near the airport exits on the main roads but if you follow the signs you should be okay.

I'm never using a Miami airport again. It aspires to be mediocre.

I would certainly not fly in or out of MIA from choice!

Unsure the last time Sealink and Travller2 used Miami, but long gone are the horror stories. I flew in and out last month and was off the plane and in an Uber within 15 minutes. That included waiting 5 minutes for my bag. On the return, the rental car centre was a breeze, albeit a bit of a walk to the VS area. We checked in with about 6 minutes to spare so only sampled the lounge for 15 minutes, but what an improvement on the hell-hole it was a few years ago. It's no CH, but I'd rate it higher than the MCO offering. Again, it's a bit of a walk to the gate - opposite sides of the terminal. I really wouldn't worry, unless of course, they've travelled recently and had very different experiences to mine.

[mitchja]

Indeed, VS switched concourses at MIA at the end of March this year. They moved in with Delta in concourse H (which also has proper TSA-Pre secuity as well).

VS now also share the Delta SkyClub in that same concourse.

It was in January. So before the concourse move. Had never experienced an airport like it.

My last visit was quite a while back too. All I can say is the departure gate area that VS used at that time was soul destroying... to put it mildly.