Perhaps you travel to Key West for business, or maybe you’re considering hitting The Keys for a little rest and relaxation.
Either way, it’s important to get there comfortably, quickly, safely and easily.
Thinking About Driving?
Regardless of if you’re traveling for business or pleasure, road trips can be unbearable. You’ll be dealing with all of the hazards that come with road travel, including construction, traffic and stops for bathroom breaks, food, etc.
If you’re departing from Tampa, FL, you’re looking at about 7-8 hours travel time total which makes a day trip to Key West pretty much undoable.
However, by chartering a private plane you (and seven of your friends) can be in Key West within 3 hours.
The Pilatus PC-12, when chartered through Tampa Bay Air Charter, can carry up to eight passengers, and starts at only $3,500 for a one day round trips to the Florida Keys from Tampa Bay.
This is incredibly affordable, especially if you’re splitting the cost with all passengers.
Chartering A Private Plane vs. Booking A Private Jet
So many people don’t take advantage of chartering a private plane because they believe that it will be too expensive. However, there are a few important differences between a plane and a jet, and they all greatly affect the cost.
First, a single engine plane doesn’t burn as much fuel or require the same complex and expensive maintenance as a private jet. Lower operating costs equal lower fares, so chartering a single engine plane can be far more affordable than chartering a private jet.
In short, when you hear the term “private plane”, don’t let the potential costs scare you away. Chartering a private plane with Tampa Bay Air Charter is an incredibly common way travel to Key West and if you fill the plane, the per passenger fare is comparable to first class on commercial carriers.
Exploring Key West
Key West is warm, beautiful and bustling. And, since Key West is a major cruise ship destination, many of its visitors are actually pressed for time. As a result, locals have created many options for visitors who intend to only spend a single day on the island.
The Key West Aquarium: Located in tourist heavy Mallory Square, the Key West Aquarium is a must see for anyone on a brief stay to the area. The Aquarium offers guided tours as well as up close and personal animal feedings.
The touch tank at the Aquarium is nothing short of breathtaking, as tourists and locals alike are able to interact physically and respectfully with creatures from the sea. Try hard to make your schedule work with the daily shark feedings, because they are not something you’ll want to miss!
Take in a Tour: If you want to see everything, but you’ve got a very short window of free time, then the Conch Tour Train is perfect for you! The train schedule is certain to coincide with your own, since tours start at 9 a.m. every day and then continue to head out every thirty minutes.
On the Conch Tour, you’ll learn everything you’ve ever wanted to know about Key West within an hour and a half. Learn about the history of the area, which is dripping with culture, and make a note of everything there is to do as you pass through the United States’ Southernmost Point! The train will bring you full circle back to Mallory Square, where you can grab a meal.
Fantastic Food in Mallory Square: Hunger in Key West is easily satiated. After all, you’ll be in the best place you’ve ever been to order fresh seafood. You’ll find your classic tourist menus inside Mallory Square, stuffed to the brim with incredible seafood platters and other cuisine from the adjacent ocean.
If seafood really isn’t your thing, then take advantage of the authentic Cuban restaurants and fresh food that you’ll come across on Key West. It will be unlike anything you’ve ever tasted. For those who aren’t up to an adventure, you can find great salads, burgers and even cheese steak sandwiches all along the Square.
Hemingway Home & Museum: Nestled in the heart of Old Town Key West, this unique property was home to one of America’s most honored and respected authors. Ernest Hemingway lived and wrote here for more than ten years.
Step back in time and visit the rooms and gardens that witnessed the most prolific period of this Nobel Prize winner’s writing career. Educated tour guides give insightful narratives and are eager to answer questions.
Wander through the lush grounds and enjoy the whimsy of the more than forty cats that live here. The Ernest Hemingway Home & Museum is a significant address on any Key West itinerary. The museum welcomes thousands of visitors from around the world and looks forward to welcoming you!
The Key West Butterfly & Nature Conservatory: The Butterfly Conservatory is a butterfly park that houses more than 50 different butterfly species from around the world in a clime-controlled, glass-enclosed habitat.
Walk through a magical and inviting environment filled with hundreds of the most beautiful winged creatures in nature. During your breathtaking journey you will experience an impressive collection of flowering plants, colorful birds, cascading waterfalls and trees that set the stage for the “flowers of the sky.”
Key West Snorkeling: Snorkel into Key West’s most popular attractions: the reef and crystal blue waters surrounding this island paradise. Your sailing and Key West snorkeling adventure begins as you board a state-of-the-art catamaran, part of the largest and most luxurious catamaran fleet in the Florida Keys.
Feel the excitement as you sail to North America’s only living coral reef, where the wonders of Mother Nature await you.
Making The Most Of Your Time In The Keys
As you can see, there is much to do and see in Key West. Chartering a private plane will get you there quickly, and give you more time to do whatever your heart desires once you’re there.
Not only will your stay in Key West be memorable, but the trip there and back will be forever ingrained in the memories of every traveler in your party. Chartering a private plane provides a unique and luxurious travel experience.
You’ll be able to fly on your own schedule, to and from The Keys. You decide when you leave and when it’s time to make the trip home. Take your party straight to the airplane hangar when it’s time to board. Flight delays and layovers are a thing of the past. Arrival and departure, with approval from the pilot and air traffic control, is your call.
Each private charter has the option for catering, as well as constant access to a bathroom. You can wave goodbye to food stops and bathroom breaks forever.
Booking a private charter with Tampa Bay Air Charter means that you’re getting where you need to go in the best possible (and time efficient) way.
It also means that your trip is flexible, and on your terms. You’ll be able to stick to your schedule for work, making more time for play. Or better yet, leaving only time for play.
With Tampa Bay Air Charter, you can also extend the length of your stay, because that Key West Sunset Celebration has to be seen more than once. For only double the same day round trip rate, you can have the plane come back on another day. Stay as long as you want, and leave when it’s convenient for you.
Contact Tampa Bay Air Charter today, and get started on planning a trip that you’ll have complete control over, finally.