You’re standing in the middle of John Glenn Columbus International Airport (CMH), clutching a coffee and staring at the departures board. It’s gray outside. It's likely raining—or worse, that slushy Ohio mix that makes you want to teleport to a beach immediately.
Florida. You want Florida.
But honestly, booking florida flights from columbus ohio has become a weirdly complicated game of chess. Most people just hop on a travel aggregator, see a price that looks "okay," and pull the trigger. They end up at the wrong airport, paying $150 in hidden bag fees, or realize too late that their "direct flight" involves a three-hour layover in Charlotte that was definitely not what they envisioned for their weekend getaway.
Let’s fix that.
The Rickenbacker Secret (and the CMH Reality)
First off, Columbus is a two-airport town, and if you don't know that, you're already losing money.
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Most people instinctively go to CMH. It's the big one. It has the Starbucks, the nice parking garages, and the major carriers like Southwest, Delta, and American. But then there’s LCK—Rickenbacker International.
LCK is basically a warehouse for Allegiant Air. It’s located south of the city, and it feels more like a bus station than an airport. No fancy lounges here. However, it is the undisputed king of cheap florida flights from columbus ohio.
Allegiant flies from LCK to places the big guys usually ignore. We’re talking:
- Punta Gorda (PGD) – The gateway to Fort Myers and the Gulf Coast.
- Sarasota (SRQ) – Direct access to Siesta Key.
- St. Pete-Clearwater (PIE) – A much easier alternative to the chaos of Tampa International.
- Orlando Sanford (SFB) – Careful with this one; it’s about 45 minutes from the mouse.
- Key West (EYW) – Yes, you can actually fly direct from a cargo airport in Ohio to the southernmost point of the U.S.
The trade-off? Allegiant will charge you for everything. Water? That's a few bucks. A carry-on bag? That might cost more than the seat itself. But if you’re a light packer, you can frequently snag a round-trip ticket for under $100. It’s basically a flying shuttle.
The Southwest Stronghold at CMH
If you’re a "two bags fly free" devotee, Southwest is your primary option at CMH.
They own the Columbus-to-Orlando (MCO) corridor. On any given day in early 2026, Southwest is running four or five nonstop flights to Orlando. It’s a 2-hour and 15-minute hop. You leave Ohio at 7:00 AM; you’re in a rental car at MCO by 10:30 AM.
Southwest also dominates the Fort Lauderdale (FLL) route from CMH. This is the move if you’re heading for a cruise or just want the Miami vibe without the Miami International (MIA) price tag.
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Here is the thing about Southwest that people miss: they don't show up on Expedia or Kayak. If you aren't checking their site directly, you're missing half the inventory for florida flights from columbus ohio. Plus, with their new seating policy (yes, they finally added assigned seats), the "Southwest Shuffle" is mostly a thing of the past.
Avoid the "Cheap Flight" Trap
I saw a ticket the other day from Columbus to Tampa for $33 on Spirit. $33!
That’s cheaper than a decent steak in the Short North. But before you get too excited, look at the fine print. Spirit and Frontier have been aggressively expanding their presence at CMH, but they have turned "unbundling" into an art form.
By the time you pay for:
- A seat that actually has padding.
- The ability to bring more than a backpack.
- The privilege of boarding before the plane is out of fuel.
That $33 ticket is suddenly $140. At that point, you might as well have flown Delta or American and gotten a free Biscoff cookie and some legroom.
If you're flying Spirit to Orlando or Fort Lauderdale, just go into it with your eyes open. It’s a great way to save money if you’re heading down for a quick bachelor party or a weekend with the grandkids and don't need three suitcases.
The Nonstop vs. Connecting Dilemma
It’s tempting to take a $180 flight with a layover in Atlanta over a $250 nonstop. Don't do it.
The "Ohio-to-Florida" air corridor is notorious for summer afternoon thunderstorms in the South. If you have a connection in Atlanta (Delta) or Charlotte (American), a 20-minute storm can ripple through the schedule and leave you sleeping on a terminal floor.
When searching for florida flights from columbus ohio, prioritize these nonstop routes:
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- CMH to MCO (Orlando): Southwest, Spirit, Frontier.
- CMH to FLL (Fort Lauderdale): Southwest, Spirit.
- CMH to MIA (Miami): American (usually at least one daily nonstop).
- CMH to TPA (Tampa): Southwest, Breeze Airways.
- LCK to PIE/PGD/SFB: Allegiant.
Breeze Airways is a newcomer you shouldn't ignore. They’ve been running some very specific routes out of CMH, like Fort Myers (RSW) and Vero Beach, which used to be a nightmare to reach from Central Ohio.
When to Pull the Trigger
Columbus travelers have a bad habit of waiting until the last minute, especially during "Spring Break season" (mid-March).
Prices for Florida destinations from Ohio usually bottom out about 4 to 6 weeks before departure. If you see a nonstop under $200 round-trip on a major carrier, buy it. If it’s under $120 on a budget carrier (including bags), that’s a steal.
February is statistically the cheapest month to fly this route. It makes sense. Everyone is broke from the holidays and tired of the snow, but not quite desperate enough to pay $600 for a Spring Break flight yet. If you can swing a mid-week trip in February, you'll find the best deals for florida flights from columbus ohio.
Actionable Next Steps
To get the most out of your next trip south, follow this specific workflow:
- Check Rickenbacker (LCK) first: Go to Allegiant’s website and see if they fly to your specific destination. If you're staying on the Gulf Coast (Clearwater, Sarasota, Fort Myers), this will almost always be your cheapest and fastest option.
- Search Southwest separately: Remember, they won't appear on Google Flights. Open a separate tab.
- Use the "Explore" feature on Google Flights: Set your starting point as CMH, leave the destination as "Florida," and look at the map for the next 6 months. Sometimes it's $100 cheaper to fly into West Palm Beach and drive 45 minutes than it is to fly into Miami.
- Verify the airport code: Double-check if you're flying into MCO (Orlando International) or SFB (Sanford). Sanford is further away and will cost you an extra $60 in Uber fees to get to the Disney area.
The sun is waiting. Just make sure you aren't overpaying to get to it.