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Find Cheap Deals to Top Florida Destinations

“My parents didn’t want to move to Florida, but they turned sixty and that’s the law.” –Jerry Seinfeld (a native New Yorker, of course)

Mr. Seinfeld aside, many people love Florida for its delightful contradictions: the warm sunny beaches vs. the mysterious Everglades; a thoroughbred farm vs. a gator park; the sizzling nightlife vs. the kid-friendly theme parks.

Let’s look at some of the more popular destinations:

• Daytona Beach
• Miami and Ft. Lauderdale
• Panama City
• Tampa and St. Petersburg

Wondering why Orlando didn’t make the list? It would have, except it’s such a popular destination that we decided to create a separate Orlando Cheat Sheet for your convenience.

Now let’s answer the question: how to find the deals to Florida.

Cheap Flights to Florida: Best Days to Fly and Other Tips

Knowing when to travel to Florida is the easiest way to get the best available airfare.

Cheapest Days to Fly: The cheapest days to fly to Florida destinations are similar to other domestic cities: the best days are usually Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays and often Thursdays as well. Fridays and Sundays are generally higher, but once in awhile, you’ll find a sale that will allow you to fly on those days. Special note: because Florida is such a tourist magnet, hotel and meal deals are common; check with your destination’s visitors or tourism website and look for specials.

Cheapest Time of Day to Fly: As with so many other domestic destinations, the cheapest times to fly to many large Florida cities is overnight (the so-called red-eye flights – when available), and at dawn and during the late evening.

Cheapest Time of Year to Fly: Florida and its beaches are popular with visitors year-round, but notable off-peak times to fly include the fall and spring; things rev up again in the winter with the arrival of snowbirds, and Spring Break gets crowded, too.

Finding Deals for Weekend Getaways and Last Minute Flights

Want to head to Florida for a last minute getaway? Try these tips:

Sign up for FareCompare Airfare Alerts: We do the work for you by sending real-time updates on the cheapest flights to Florida destinations from your home airport. Important: Don’t leave alerts in your inbox – the best deals disappear quickly.

Use the FareCompare Getaway Map: See prices to your favorite Florida cities from your airport at just a glance, plus share your deals with friends on Twitter. Next, get a personalized FareCompare account (such as @flyfromLAX or @flyfromNYC) for even more deals.

Florida Airports – What You Need to Know

Here are the best airport options for our Florida cities:

Daytona Beach International Airport (DAB): This airport is served by Delta and US Airways; it bills itself as a “convenient alternative” to Orlando and Jacksonville; located just a couple of miles from the beach.

Ft. Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL): This handy alternative to the Miami airport can be less expensive on some routes; it’s served by Southwest, Virgin America, JetBlue and other discount carriers plus numerous legacy and international airlines especially Caribbean carriers.

Miami International Airport (MIA): This large facility is served by most discount and legacy airlines plus an impressive number of international carriers.

Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport (ECP): This brand new airport serving the Panama Beach area features flights on discount airline Southwest, plus Delta.

Tampa International Airport (TPA): This airport is located 92 miles from Orlando and is served by AirTran, Frontier, JetBlue, Spirit as well as several legacy airlines, plus a handful of international carriers.

St. Petersburg Clearwater International Airport (PIE): Served by Allegiant, Frontier, Vision Airlines and several charters.

WiFi and Ground Transportation at Airports

With one exception, all of the airports listed above have free WiFi throughout the terminals; at Miami International, you must pay a fee for this service.

All the airports above have numerous transportation options, including shuttle buses, taxis, rental car agencies, public transportation and more.

Learn more about FareCompare and the cheapest days to fly and best times to buy airline tickets for year-round savings.