Flying to Ft. Lauderdale Saved Us Money & Miles
If you cruise out of South Florida as much as I do, you know the eternal question: Miami or Ft. Lauderdale? I fly into both regularly — and honestly, Miami has been cheaper lately when I’m using miles, especially with those sweet direct flights from Nashville. And you know me: If there’s a direct flight, I’m taking it. I don’t care what time it leaves. I don’t care if I have to run through the airport with iced coffee in hand. Direct flights are my love language.
But this week? Ft. Lauderdale won. And it wasn’t even close.
This is one of those real-life Lazy Girl travel hacking moments where everything lined up — the flights, the miles, the hotel, the cruise port, the Brightline, our Thanksgiving mini‑suite deal, and even our family ski trip. Let’s break it all down. If you’re new here, my Stack & Save Hub breaks down exactly how I layer miles, cashback, and perks like this — it’s the Lazy Girl system that makes every trip cheaper and smarter.
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Miami Has Been Cheaper Lately — Especially on Miles
I’m a creature of habit, and Miami has been the better deal for months when I’m booking award flights. The redemption rates have been lower, the schedules have been better, and the direct flights from Nashville have been clutch.
So normally, Miami is my go‑to.
But travel hacking isn’t about loyalty — it’s about flexibility. And this time, the numbers told a different story.
JetBlue’s Nashville → Ft. Lauderdale Direct Flights Are Back
During COVID, JetBlue dropped down to one daily flight from Nashville to Ft. Lauderdale. It was tragic. It was giving “I guess I’ll fly Southwest.”
But now?
Multiple direct flights
Great departure times
Consistently low fares
Around $100 each way
That price is wild for South Florida — especially in cruise season.
So even though Miami usually wins on miles, Ft. Lauderdale won on cash fares, convenience, and stacking potential this round.
Why I Pivoted From Miami to Ft. Lauderdale
Here’s the exact moment the Lazy Girl hack kicked in:
I checked JetBlue. I saw the $100 fares. I saw the direct flights. I saw the Rove Miles stacking opportunity. And I canceled my Miami award flights immediately.
Lazy Girl Rule: If a better deal appears, pivot. No guilt. No overthinking. Just vibes and savings.
Here’s what I gained:
My miles refunded
Cheaper cash fares
Direct flights (my love language)
Airline points earned
Rove Miles earned
A smoother travel day
That’s a double dip — my favorite thing in the world.
Our November Trip: One Free Ticket + One Cash Fare
For our upcoming November cruise, I had enough miles to get Brandon a free ticket, and I paid cash for mine. Perfect split.
And because we’re actually sailing out of Ft. Lauderdale for this trip, flying into FLL saves us:
Time
Stress
And the cost of the Brightline
Normally, if we flew into Miami, we’d hop on the Brightline to get to Port Everglades — but this time, we don’t need it.
Lazy Girl win.
We Booked a Fancy Marriott — Using My Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts Credit
Since our JetBlue flight gets us in early, I grabbed a Marriott stay through Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts — and it worked out beautifully.
Our out‑of‑pocket cost is $127, and that includes:
A $100 dining credit
Free breakfast
Late checkout (we won’t need it, but it’s still nice to have)
It’s the perfect pre‑cruise night: elevated, convenient, and budget-friendly thanks to the FHR perks.
And because it’s me, I’ll probably wander over to my favorite little wine bar behind the hotel. It’s cozy, tucked away, and the exact kind of spot that makes a pre-cruise evening feel like part of the vacation.
But We Are Flying Home From Miami — Here’s Why
Even though we’re flying into Ft. Lauderdale, we’re flying home from Miami on points.
Why?
The Miami → Nashville flight is direct
The award pricing was better
And… Brandon really wants to try the Brightline
Everyone in our family has been on it except him — even my parents. (And yes, I already have a full blog post about the Brightline.)
So we’ll take the Brightline from Ft. Lauderdale to Miami after the cruise, check that off Brandon’s list, and fly home on points.
It’s the perfect mix of convenience + savings + experience.
Silver Lining: Those Refunded AA Miles Are Now Paying for Our Family Ski Trip
One of my favorite parts of this whole pivot is the unexpected bonus: By canceling our Miami award flights, I got all those AA miles back — and now we’re using them toward our family ski trip.
And here’s the best part: We’re saving more on the ski trip flights than I spent on our JetBlue tickets to Ft. Lauderdale.
If you want to see exactly how we save on skiing every year, I have a full post on our strategy using the Epic Pass: How We Save on Skiing With the Epic Pass
This is the Lazy Girl magic. Sometimes the savings don’t show up on this trip — they show up on the next one.
This Pairs Perfectly With Our Island Princess Thanksgiving Mini‑Suite Deal
This Marriott stay actually pairs perfectly with the mini‑suite deal I booked on the Island Princess for Thanksgiving — another Lazy Girl win where I upgraded strategically and paid less than some people pay for an inside cabin.
You can read that full breakdown here: Island Princess Mini‑Suite Thanksgiving Deal
Both stories show the same thing: Lazy Girl travel hacking isn’t about spending more. It’s about spending smarter — and enjoying the perks that come with it.
The Double Dip: Airline Points + Rove Miles
If you’re not using Rove Miles, this is your sign.
Booking through Rove means:
You still earn your airline points
You also earn Rove Miles
You stack rewards without doing anything extra
You can check out Rove here: Rove Miles
Lazy Girl Tip: Always Recheck Flight Prices Before Your Trip
This entire hack happened because I did a quick recheck.
Flight prices change. Award availability changes. New routes appear. Old routes return. Cash fares drop. Stacking opportunities pop up.
A five‑minute check saved me:
Money
Miles
Stress
Time
And probably my sanity
This is the Lazy Girl way — minimal effort, maximum payoff.
About the Author
Hi, I’m Julie — travel advisor, points hacker, cruise girl, and creator of No Point Left Behind. I help travelers maximize their points, miles, and perks without spreadsheets, stress, or gatekeeping. My Lazy Girl travel hacking system is built on real-life experience, flexible strategies, and making every trip feel a little more elevated without spending more.
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