I was just reading another post and noticed a mention of bad traffic on Sundays out of Key West. I just made reservations at The Gardens Hotel and will be leaving on a Sunday. We will be flying out of Ft. Lauderdale and just wondering how late to make the return flight?
If you leave Key West early, are you okay? What would be considered early?

Thanks for your help!

I wouldn't leave Key West any later than 6AM for a 5PM flight.

The keys empty out every Sunday and there is one lane in and one lane out of the Florida Keys.

One wreck, and plan on this happening, and you are sitting in your car for six hours.

Our trip is planned for a Thursday-Sunday. Would you recommend us changing to Wednesday-Saturday? I realize any day you could be open to this chance, but is Sunday just worse? I'm open to suggestions. We have only made hotel reservations thus far.

Another option is to stay Saturday night in the upper keys like Islamorada or Key Largo. That would shorten the Sunday drive considerably.

I left Key West about 6:30 or 7 a.m. to catch a flight out of Miami and it only took me 3 or 4 hours...very light traffic. Most of the Sunday traffic will be later in the day. But, as someone said...an accident can make that trip 8 or 9 hours. I like the suggestion of staying further up the Keys...depending on what time your flight is out of Ft. Lauderdale.

I would either stay in Ft. Lauderdale (which is a fantastic town BTW), Miami, or one of the Upper Keys the night before.

Even on a day when traffic isn't bad, one small wreck and you are in your car for a while.

You could make a fun trip out of it by stopping at restaurants, attractions, and beaches on your way to the mainland.

What month are you talking about?
I've made the drive from Key West (the Gardens is my favorite hotel there) to Ft Lauderdale (sometimes Miami) many, many, many times.
It does seem to take longer heading back, than it does getting down there. Which is a little odd.

I also assume you ave to return a rental car?

I usually have a late afternoon flight (4:00 or so) and we leave Key West around 9:00 - 9:30 am (sometimes a little later, thanks to my wife).

An alternative is to stay the last night in Islamorda. We've done that a few times, but for some reason, i'm no longer a fan of that.

Have fun.

Thanks so much for your suggestions.

Our trip is planned for June and will be our first visit to Key West.

I'm a little confused now. Are you all suggesting that we cut our nights in KW down to two or stick with three in KW and add one night in Ft. Lauderdale or along the way. From all I have read, I'm thinking we could certainly use all three nights in KW.

I don't about the others who have responded, but I mentioned staying a night in Islamorada on the way back ONLY as an option.
As I said, I've driven straight from KeY West to Ft Lauderdale with no problems.

It took my dad a couple of weeks ago on a Sunday morning six hours to make the drive.

My parents live in Key West through the season and we've all made this drive hundreds of times.

The fastest any of us has made the drive is 3:36.

I live in Key Largo. From Key West to Key Largo is a two and a half hour drive. I would tag on an extra hour on Sundays, but not necessarily. All depends on the traffic. June won't be as busy as July or August. I know, this sounds crazy because who goes to the Keys in the summer? Answer: Everyone in Miami. Because once school is out, the Keys are only an hour from Miami and a quick cheap trip for the Miami families to get away from the city heat. And once Lobster season starts in July, it is murder. I've never encountered a six hour drive in the twenty five years we've lived here, even during hurricane evacuation, so this would be a real rarity.