One map, pinned from each airport’s published coordinates.
Category scores
Overall is the published weighted sum. A highlighted score is ahead; a tie stays plain.
Ease of use
25% · Wayfinding, security wait, and layout.
FLL6.8
PBI8.4+1.6
Comfort & amenities
20% · Seating, Wi-Fi, cleanliness, and quiet.
FLL6.5
PBI7.4+0.9
Food & retail
15% · Food and retail quality and variety.
FLL6.4
PBI6.6+0.2
Ground access
15% · Transit, taxi, and parking to the city.
FLL8.0+1.2
PBI6.8
Reliability
15% · Delays, cancellations, and weather resilience.
FLL6.5+0.7
PBI5.8
Lounges
10% · Worth-it density and access quality.
FLL6.5+0.9
PBI5.6
Best for
FLL
Cruise passengers to Port EvergladesSouthwest/JetBlue/Delta domestic hopsQuick South Florida beach accessBudget ground transport options
PBI
Palm Beach / downtown West Palm Beach trips that should skip MIA or FLLAmex Platinum or Delta Reserve holders who can use Escape LoungeDrivers who want $8 economy parking three miles from downtownTravelers who value a short ticket-to-gate walk over hub connections
Watch out for
FLL
Disconnected terminals requiring re-security or shuttlesCruise-day and early-morning security/traffic spikesLimited true Priority Pass lounges (dining credit only)Thunderstorms and cascading Northeast delays
PBI
IATA is now DJT (18 Aug 2026); older tickets and this page still say PBI — same airport2025 long-delay rate was among the worst at U.S. majors — pad Newark/JFK/LGA banksPriority Pass does not work here; aggregator Sky Club pins are unverifiedNo rail in the terminal; Brightline is downtown and Route 2 is not 24/7
Amenities and tips
FLL
Free water refillsEscape LoungeRental Car CenterFree Wi-FiFamily play areasAccessibility services
Arrive 2 hours domestic, more on cruise Saturdays
Security averages 15-25 minutes but spikes early morning and when multiple ships are in port.
T1 and T2 require landside transfer or free shuttle/tram if connecting.
Hit Escape Lounge or Casavana for real value
Standard terminal food is average and pricey; lounges or Cuban bakery options beat chains.
PBI
Escape LoungePalm Tran Route 2Free high-speed Wi-FiCentral post-security foodPutting green and pet relief
Compact terminal, unforgiving Northeast banks
Ninety minutes is enough on a quiet midday domestic; give yourself two hours for morning JetBlue/Delta banks, holidays, or any connection that has to survive Newark/JFK/LGA weather.
One building, three short concourses
After security, A and B peel left/west and C goes east — no train, no people-mover, just walking.
Eat before you walk to the last gate
Grab a sit-down plate near the central post-security hall or Escape Lounge rather than the last newsstand on C.
FLL · Solid mid-tier US airport with excellent cruise and South Florida access but fragmented terminals, average food, and weather/congestion vulnerability.
PBI · Compact, close-in South Florida alternative with one walkable terminal and a real Amex/paid Escape Lounge — traded against a 2026 PBI→DJT code change and stubbornly ugly Northeast-bank delay stats.
