One day car rental to Key West

Question

How difficult is getting a one day car rental to Key West Airport from cruise port in Fort Lauderdale? Plan on dropping it off and then picking up again in 5 days to return to Fort Lauderdale.

Answer

Renting a car for a one-day one-way trip from the Fort Lauderdale cruise port area to Key West Airport (EYW) is definitely possible, but there are a few important considerations that will affect price, availability, and convenience.

First, most major rental companies do allow one-way rentals from Fort Lauderdale to Key West, but not all of them keep a full-service desk at Key West Airport. Those that do usually charge a fairly high one-way drop fee because the Florida Keys are considered a remote return location. You should absolutely book in advance—same-day availability is limited, and rates can spike.

Second, getting from the Port Everglades cruise port to a rental car facility is simple. Companies like Enterprise, Hertz, Avis, Alamo, and Budget have shuttles from the cruise port to their Fort Lauderdale Airport locations. The FLL airport rental center has the largest fleet and the best chance of finding a one-way option.

Expect the drive from Fort Lauderdale to Key West to take 4–4.5 hours without major delays. The Overseas Highway is beautiful but can be slow due to single-lane stretches.

Enterprise/National/Alamo: Often the easiest for one-way rentals to Key West Airport, but sometimes have the highest drop fees.
Avis/Budget: Commonly allow one-way drops at EYW and sometimes offer better rates.
Hertz/Dollar/Thrifty: Availability varies; sometimes restricted for Key West returns, so check specific location rules.

On the return trip five days later, picking up a new car at Key West Airport to drive back to Fort Lauderdale is straightforward. EYW has a small but efficient rental center with all major companies represented. Prices, however, can be higher due to demand and limited inventory, especially during peak season.

To save money, you might compare returning the car to Marathon or Key Largo instead, but that requires alternative transportation to/from Key West, so it’s only practical for flexible travelers.

Reserve both legs now: Do the one-way Fort Lauderdale → Key West and Key West → Fort Lauderdale as two separate bookings.
Compare airport vs. neighborhood locations: Sometimes a Fort Lauderdale neighborhood branch offers slightly cheaper one-way fees.
Check drop-fee disclosures carefully: These can add $75–$300 depending on the company.

Overall, it’s completely doable and commonly done by cruise travelers, but planning ahead is essential to avoid high costs and limited car availability. If you book in advance and are flexible with pickup locations, the process should be smooth.