During the peak of my nomad days, I was always on the lookout for inexpensive tickets from the United States to South America. I’ve always though the idea of getting frequent flyer miles was something of a scam, and, instead, elected to always purchase the least expensive ticket I could find. After a while, you find that the typical hubs to enter the US are Atlanta, Houston, Miami and Fort Lauderdale.
Fort Lauderdale is a relatively new entry into that group as it’s the hub for Spirit airlines which became a low cost carrier in 2007 and came upon the radar of my group of expat friends living in Lima, Peru. Because of our need to leave the country every 180 days, we were always on the lookout for low cost tickets to the US, but the Spirit flights were so low that we became skeptical. Perhaps this was a carry over from our dealings with Taxis in Lima. Whenever you are quoted a price you know to be too low from a taxi, chances are the guy is trying to entice you into the vehicle so he can rob you. One of my friends once jumped out of a moving taxi as it went around a corner because it turned down a road that wasn’t on the way to his destination (the taxi went back and got him, and took him safely the rest of the way, he was being paranoid).
Eventually, somebody worked up the courage to try a Spirit flight, I think it was me, and I concluded it was an effective enough, no-frills airline. The seats seem small and jammed together, and you end up paying ridiculous fares if you check any bags (at least, that’s how it used to be), but the plane gets you where you’re trying to go. Honestly, now that I have a family, I would prefer not to fly Spirit, but back when I was in my twenties, and limited myself to a single small carry on every time I flew, it was a good fit for me. Honestly, I found them less annoying than Budget Economy tickets offered by other carriers that have popped up as a response to low-cost carriers like Spirit. At least you know what you’re getting when you sign up for an inexpensive Spirit price, places like United seem resentful of you for purchasing a budget ticket from them, and they treat you poorly as a result.
The funny thing you discover when you’re constantly on the lookout for inexpensive airline tickets is that they can be found, provided you’re willing to bounce around airports a little bit. On one occasion, I got a flight from Lima to Fort Lauderdale, followed by a flight on a different carrier from Miami to Denver. Fort Lauderdale is only about 40 minutes north of Miami (depending on traffic), but if you’re traveling by taxi, you’ve probably just lost any financial gains you might have made through your inexpensive ticket shenanigans. However, there is a very convenient train that will take you from Fort Lauderdale directly to the Miami airport for about $5. I remember arriving at Fort Lauderdale, disheveled from the flight as one tends to be, but still able to find the train station with relative ease. A convenient connector to join two major flight hubs like that is a huge bonus for scoring a cheap travel itinerary. Just give yourself time to ride the train.
You always have to discuss a city in Florida in terms of its proximity to Disneyworld, and Fort Lauderdale is a bit of a hike at about 3 hours. Still, that can work out for you if you’re planning on renting a car. Most rental plans have unlimited mileage, so you might as well put some distance on your vehicle. Also, you can make a nice day of driving up the coast, so why not? This might become particularly cost-effective if you’re traveling with a family.
Most of my expat friends who reside in South America have a need to revisit the United States on a regular basis to visit family and friends, and the Fort Lauderdale area is an appealing place to settle down. You are close enough to airports that will take you all across the US, and you can find the best tickets from the US to South America either through Fort Lauderdale or Miami. As many of my friends have made the transition from unhindered backpacker to expat family man, I’ve seen them checking out Fort Lauderdale Homes for sale. I know from experience that, if you ever return to the US, transitioning your Peruvian born spouse from Peru to Florida is a lot easier than going from Peru to Wisconsin.
It’s kind of amusing how happenstance makes you familiar with a place because you periodically pass through it. Fort Lauderdale is an interesting little option because, once you learn the ropes, it allows you to save a lot of money on your travel plans. If you’re one of those people who freaks out about needing to find a train station after you arrive at a new airport, it’s not worth trying to save $50 by booking through Fort Lauderdale. However, if you like a little bit of adventure with your travel, then I can attest from experience that flying through Fort Lauderdale can work to your advantage.
