Key West had been a bucket-list destination for us, and we missed the chance at a visit by cruise ship two years prior.  So we planned this trip for April in order to avoid the beastly heat of summer.  Our flight arrived in Key West at 5:15 pm on Wednesday, April 9.  Our suite for the week was at The Laureate Key West on North Roosevelt Blvd.

For our complete itinerary, click here.

Our flight arrived in Key West at 5:15 pm.  Take-offs and landings at Key West International Airport are exciting!  There is a single runway, and it is only 5,076 feet long and 100 feet wide.

A typical international airport runway ranges from 10,000 to 13,000 feet in length and is 150 feet wide.

The limited length strictly restricts the size and weight of aircraft that can safely land and take off.  On warmer or heavier payload days, airlines may enforce baggage limits or restrict the number of seats sold to ensure planes can safely lift off.  On our flight, we were limited to one checked bag each.

Our flights into and out of Key West were on an Airbus A319 – an aircraft highly capable on short runways, typically requiring 3,900 to 5,900 feet for landing and takeoff – depending on its payload and weather conditions.  Upon landing, they hit the brakes hard, and take-off is a blast – literally!

Our home for the week at The Laureate Key West

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