Flying Into Key West: EYW Arrival Guide

Key West International Airport sits on the southeast side of the island at 3491 South Roosevelt Boulevard. You are not landing on the mainland and then making the drive down the Keys; once you step out of EYW, you are already in Key West.

That is the major advantage of flying directly into EYW.

For visitors staying Downtown or in Old Town, the airport transfer is simply the last short leg of the journey rather than another road trip.

Visitors relying on old Key West airport guides may find the current terminal different from what they expect.

EYW's new Concourse A opened in April 2025. A new east-end baggage claim area opened in April 2026 with updated rental-car and airline support facilities, and the airport continues to use its modernized terminal arrangement.

Follow the current airport signage rather than an old blog's directions through the terminal.

For most leisure visitors, there are three realistic choices.

Taxi

The official taxi line is directly outside the arrivals/baggage-claim area.

The airport says wheelchair-accessible taxis are available as well. Current fare structures are published by EYW, but because airport transportation rates can change, there is little value in hard-coding them into a general travel guide.

Uber or Lyft

Both Uber and Lyft are currently authorized for passenger pickup at EYW.

The designated rideshare pickup area is along the blue curb outside and to the right of the arrivals/baggage-claim area.

Rental car

On-airport rental-car counters are located in the arrivals/baggage-claim area.

That makes renting straightforward.

Whether renting is smart is a different question.

If you are staying Downtown or in Old Town and your plans center on Key West itself, you may pay for a vehicle that spends most of the trip parked.

If you plan to explore the Lower Keys, are staying somewhere where driving materially improves your trip, or have specific mobility needs, the calculation changes.

Downtown

For most visitors: taxi or rideshare.

A rental car usually adds little if your plans remain concentrated around the historic core.

Old Town

Usually taxi or rideshare, particularly if the property is comfortably walkable to the places you intend to visit.

New Town

This becomes more itinerary-dependent.

A car can be useful, but rideshare, taxi and public transportation are still viable. Check how your property handles parking before deciding.

Stock Island

Transportation deserves more thought here.

Key West Rides, the city's on-demand public-transit service, includes Stock Island in its service zone, while rideshare and taxis provide additional options.

A car can make sense for some Stock Island trips, but it is not automatically mandatory.

Only if the rest of your trip answers yes.

Do not let the convenience of an airport rental counter make the decision for you.

A useful test is to write down the places you expect to drive during the trip. If that list consists primarily of “airport to hotel” and “hotel to airport,” take a taxi or rideshare instead.

If the list includes multiple Lower Keys destinations, a remote accommodation or substantial travel away from Old Town, renting becomes much easier to justify.

EYW also lists bus service at the airport, and Key West operates public transit throughout the community.

For a visitor carrying luggage after a flight, however, direct taxi or rideshare service will often be the most straightforward option unless budget or another specific constraint makes transit more attractive.

That is a case where the cheapest option and the most useful option are not necessarily the same.

The TSA security checkpoint for departing passengers is currently located at the west end of the main terminal.

Use your airline's current recommended airport-arrival time rather than relying on a fixed rule in a destination guide, especially during busy travel periods.

If you are returning a rental car, build that step into your departure time.

Otherwise, the airport's on-island location keeps the final transfer relatively simple.

Flying directly into EYW is the easiest way to remove the Overseas Highway from your arrival day.

For most first-time visitors staying Downtown or in Old Town, the practical plan is simple:

Fly in, collect your bags, take a taxi or rideshare to your accommodation, and decide whether you need a vehicle later based on what you actually plan to do.

You do not need to start the trip by solving transportation problems you may never have.