Air Travel to Destin

Air travel to Destin has become increasingly affordable over the past few years as the number of carriers flying to the Emerald Coast continues to rise.  If you aren’t able to fly your private plane into Destin’s local airport, there are a number of different options depending on where you’re coming from. 

There are three airports to choose from when travelling to Northwest Florida:

Northwest Florida Regional Airport (Destin, Fort Walton Beach)
Panama City – Bay County International Airport
Pensacola Regional Airport

Within the continental United States, the best option will likely be flying into Valparaiso-Fort Walton airport (VPS).  This is an easy 30 minute drive from Destin center.  Most connecting flights will go through Atlanta with frequent shuttles in the summer months to VPS.  Coming from the west coast, you may consider flying into Pensacola with Air Tran.  While the commute from Pensacola is about an hour and a half, you may be saving considerable money by choosing the budget provider.  Shuttles can be arranged to accommodate individuals and groups form this airport.

Southwest Airlines will be arriving in late May 2010 to Panama City airport.  In most cases this will provide a value fare for those travelling from longer distances.   Panama City is about an hour drive from Destin center.  Our recommendation would be to check Southwest Airlines first and then Kayak.com for best available fares from all major commercial carriers. 

Major carriers to Northwest Regional (VPS):
Delta Airlines
Continental Airlines
Northwest Airlines
US Airways
American Eagle

Major carriers to Pensacola (PNS):
Air Tran
American Airlines
Continental Airlines
Delta Airlines
Northwest Airlines
US Airways

Major carriers to Panama City (PFN):
Delta Airlines
Chautauqua Airlines
Freedom Airlines
Northwest Airlines
Southwest Airlines (May 2010)
US Airways

If you are arriving from an international destination, you can expect to come through Atlanta.  Often times it will be easier to book a flight directly to Atlanta and then separately to VPS.   It’s a very uncommon route for international travel agencies to search for Pensacola, Panama City or Valparaiso. 

Mobile airport in Alabama is the closest major hub but won’t save you much money.  Atlanta is about  5-6 hours away by car and can be considered if you would prefer to take the last leg by car.  The Atlanta airport is one of the countries busiest and heavy delays, especially to Valparaiso can be expected year round.  The 70mph speed limit with minimal traffic down interstate 10 can provide an alternative with less stress.

I’ve flown in from Australia on several occasions and usually rent a car if there are no immediate flights to VPS.

There are a number of shuttle or taxi services you can choose from for airport pick-up which I’ve listed below:

Advantage Airport Shuttle
Beachside Express Shuttle Service
Checker Cab 
A+ Shuttle

High-end service
Sunshine Shuttle 
Bayside Shuttle

If you have any questions or would like suggestions on which airport would be best for you to use, please contact us by email and we would be happy to help!