Florida Deal Alert: Escape to Key West, Miami this winter for under $299
This is an absolutely fantastic time to book your winter escape to Florida. There are great fares to be had from dozens of U.S. cities to Key West so you can leave your cold-weather gear behind, put on your swimsuit and enjoy a cold beverage on the beach.
Our friends at Thrifty Traveler let us know about the great prices you can find for travel to Ernest Hemingway's beloved tropical getaway on American, Delta and United. Many of the Key West fare prices apply in reverse, so if you're in the Keys and you want to see what it's like to actually have to wear long sleeves during the winter, you can enjoy the sale prices, too.
There are also bargains to be found for Miami and Fort Lauderdale, as well, and we've listed a few below.
American and United fares are for Main Cabin seats, which come with a free carry-on and seat assignment. Delta bookings are for Basic Economy.
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Airlines: American, Delta and United Airlines.
Routes: ATL/AVL/BHM/BOS/CHS/DTW/EWR/JFK/SAT and many others to EYW/MIA/FLL.
Cost: Roundtrip fares under $299 for Main Cabin (American, United) and Basic Economy (Delta).
Dates: November-September 2022 (includes Thanksgiving).
Pay with: The Platinum Card® from American Express for 5x on airfare booked directly with the airline or through American Express Travel (on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year), the Citi Prestige® Card for 5x on airfare, the Citi Premier® Card or Chase Sapphire Reserve for 3x on air travel, the American Express® Gold Card for 3x on airfare when booked directly with the airline or through Amex Travel, or the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card for 2x on travel.
The information for the Citi Prestige Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Some examples of the round-trip fares to Key West (EYW) that are part of this deal are:
- New York City (JFK) for as low as $175, nonstop
- Atlanta (ATL) for as low as $197, nonstop
- Detroit (DTW) for as low as $235
- Dallas (DFW) for as low as $253
- Kansas City (MCI) for as low as $235
- Minneapolis (MSP) for as low as $257
Boston to Key West has lots of availability from November to March for under $250, but mid-November had several itineraries for just $169 round-trip on American. This is for a Main Cabin seat, which has the free carry-on and seat assignment, as mentioned above.
New York snowbirds can head south all winter for very reasonable rates, such as this $175 fare we were alerted to by our pals at Scott's Cheap Flights, from JFK to Key West International (EYW).
Here's an excellent deal from Little Rock to the Keys for under $200. We didn't see as much availability at this price point for this route, so Arkansas travelers thinking of heading south should jump on this now. This is for United's Economy tier, so you get free seat selection and a carry-on, plus you can change your flight at no charge, but you will have to pay any difference in the ticket price.
The coldest month of the year in Milwaukee is January, with an average overnight temperature of an absolutely arctic 13.4 degrees Fahrenheit. Booking a flight to Key West at any price sounds appealing when it's that cold, but when you can get a round-trip Main Cabin ticket for $236? That's a no-brainer.
Houston to the Keys is just $209 right now via American. We found the best availability for a long weekend in December and January.
We also found killer deals for flights to other popular Florida destinations. For example, Houston to Fort Lauderdale on American in February can be booked for just $127, nonstop.
Detroit to Miami in February is even cheaper. You can book a nonstop ticket for only $117 on American right now.
Nashville to Miami is also a trip to consider as prices are much lower than usual. February seems to be the month with the lowest prices. We found this rate for $147, nonstop.
Let's end go back to New England for our final heads up, about a fare price that is simply rock bottom -- Boston to Miami nonstop in January for just $97 round-trip! That certainly sounds like a wonderful belated Christmas present.
How to book your flights
The easiest way to do it is if you’re a Thrifty Traveler or Scott's Cheap Flights premium subscriber. You can also simply use Google Flights, plug in your destination city and start searching for dates that fit your travel schedule.
Maximize your purchase
Don’t forget to use a card that earns additional points on airfare purchases, such as The Platinum Card from American Express (5x on flights booked directly with airlines or Amex Travel, on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year), Chase Sapphire Reserve (3x on air travel), American Express Gold Card (3x on flights booked directly with airlines or Amex Travel), Citi Premier Card (3x on air travel) or the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card (2x on travel purchases). Check out this guide for more on maximizing airfare purchases.
Top offers from our partners
How we chose these cards
TPG featured card
Rewards
10X | Earn unlimited 10X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel |
5X | 5X miles on flights booked through Capital One Travel. |
2X | 2 Miles per dollar on every purchase, every day |
Intro offer
Annual Fee
Recommended Credit
Why We Chose It
The Capital One Venture X card is one of the best all-round travel credit cards ever launched. Not only is it offering a tremendous welcome bonus, but cardholders can earn tons of miles on everyday spending and receive a 10,000-mile anniversary bonus to boot. Its annual fee is $395, but cardholders can count on up to $300 in statement credits toward travel booked through Capital One Travel each year and other valuable benefits like access to Priority Pass lounges and Capital One’s own growing family of airport lounges.Pros
- Excellent welcome offer worth 75,000 miles after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months.
- Up to $300 in annual travel statement credits toward bookings make through Capital One Travel.
- 10,000 bonus miles (worth $100 toward travel) each account anniversary.
Cons
- The $395 annual fee might be expensive for some, but this card’s benefits provide much more value than that.
- If you don’t travel frequently, this might not be the best card for you.
- Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
- Receive up to $300 back annually as statement credits for bookings through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of options
- Get 10,000 bonus miles (equal to $100 towards travel) every year, starting on your first anniversary
- Earn unlimited 10X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 5X miles on flights booked through Capital One Travel
- Earn unlimited 2X miles on all other purchases
- Unlimited complimentary access for you and two guests to 1,300+ lounges, including Capital One Lounges and the Partner Lounge Network
- Receive up to a $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
- Use your Venture X miles to easily cover travel expenses, including flights, hotels, rental cars and more—you can even transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
- Named editors' choice for "Best New Credit Card of 2021" by The Points Guy
- Earn 10 miles per dollar when you book on Turo, the world's largest car sharing marketplace, through May 16, 2023
Rewards Rate
10X | Earn unlimited 10X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel |
5X | 5X miles on flights booked through Capital One Travel. |
2X | 2 Miles per dollar on every purchase, every day |
Intro Offer
Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel75,000 bonus milesAnnual Fee
$395Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO© Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.740-850Excellent
Why We Chose It
The Capital One Venture X card is one of the best all-round travel credit cards ever launched. Not only is it offering a tremendous welcome bonus, but cardholders can earn tons of miles on everyday spending and receive a 10,000-mile anniversary bonus to boot. Its annual fee is $395, but cardholders can count on up to $300 in statement credits toward travel booked through Capital One Travel each year and other valuable benefits like access to Priority Pass lounges and Capital One’s own growing family of airport lounges.Pros
- Excellent welcome offer worth 75,000 miles after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months.
- Up to $300 in annual travel statement credits toward bookings make through Capital One Travel.
- 10,000 bonus miles (worth $100 toward travel) each account anniversary.
Cons
- The $395 annual fee might be expensive for some, but this card’s benefits provide much more value than that.
- If you don’t travel frequently, this might not be the best card for you.
- Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
- Receive up to $300 back annually as statement credits for bookings through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of options
- Get 10,000 bonus miles (equal to $100 towards travel) every year, starting on your first anniversary
- Earn unlimited 10X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 5X miles on flights booked through Capital One Travel
- Earn unlimited 2X miles on all other purchases
- Unlimited complimentary access for you and two guests to 1,300+ lounges, including Capital One Lounges and the Partner Lounge Network
- Receive up to a $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
- Use your Venture X miles to easily cover travel expenses, including flights, hotels, rental cars and more—you can even transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
- Named editors' choice for "Best New Credit Card of 2021" by The Points Guy
- Earn 10 miles per dollar when you book on Turo, the world's largest car sharing marketplace, through May 16, 2023