Uber / Lyft · Official pages: five minutes off I-75 between Sarasota and Fort Myers — no printed downtown tile
Where they are
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.
RSW8.3
PGD8.7+0.4
Comfort & amenities
20% · Seating, Wi-Fi, cleanliness, and quiet.
RSW6.2
PGD7.0+0.8
Food & retail
Best for
RSW
Southwest Florida beach tripsStraightforward domestic flyingRental-car and family travelersQuick in-and-out with PreCheck
Watch out for
RSW
Jan-Apr morning security surgesNo traditional lounges or Priority PassRe-clear security for any concourse changeConstruction-related curb and bridge shifts
RSW · Friendly, easy-to-navigate mid-size airport with decent food and beach proximity, but zero lounges and punishing peak-season security lines are the clear tradeoffs.
PGD · Punta Gorda put 2,282,002 people through a one-story, walk-up-ramp field in 2025: easy when you use the two-hour clock, eat at The Junction, park long-term at $12 + tax, and accept there is still no lounge.
15% · Food and retail quality and variety.
RSW7.4+0.6
PGD6.8
Ground access
15% · Transit, taxi, and parking to the city.
RSW7.0
PGD7.4+0.4
Reliability
15% · Delays, cancellations, and weather resilience.
RSW6.8
PGD7.2+0.4
Lounges
10% · Worth-it density and access quality.
RSW6.8+4.8
PGD2.0
PGD
Southwest Florida trips that can skip RSW and SRQ for AllegiantOvernight parkers who will take the $12 + tax long-term lotDomestic departures that can follow the official 2-hour clock
PGD
No passenger lounge — do not buy a third-party Escape PGD passNo jetways; lightning inside five miles stops boarding and bagsWolfgang Puck and new Gates 5–6 are still coming soonNo kiosks; counter check-in closes 45 minutes priorShort-term is $24 + tax and is not an overnight lot
TSA PreCheck + enrollment
Family nursing room
Hit security 90–120 min early in peak season
Arrive two hours before departure on January–April mornings when snowbirds pack the lines.
Know your concourse before security
Each concourse has its own checkpoint—wrong one means a full backtrack.
Dewar’s (C) or Fort Myers Brewing (D) for a sit-down
Prefer local craft beer and Florida-leaning plates over generic chains when you have the time.
PGD
One-story Bailey Terminal, walk-up ramps, TSA opens with the flightNo passenger loungeThe Junction airside; Dunkin’ Express in bagsFree open Wi-Fi; fillers unpublishedMother’s Room at Gate 2; family restrooms at 2A and 7Long-term $12 + tax; free reserved county transit
Arrive 2 hours — TSA opens with the flight
Official FAQ and construction cards: counters and TSA open two hours before each flight. Use two hours, especially for the 6–8 a.m. Allegiant bank.
One building, walk-up ramps, gates 7–12 live
Bailey Terminal is one story. Gates 7–12 are open. Official pages still stamp new Gates 5–6, Wolfgang Puck, and a new TSA as coming soon.
The Junction after TSA; Dunkin’ in bags
Airside Junction opens 90 minutes before the first departure and closes with the last. Landside Dunkin’ Express is in baggage claim.
