Tropic Ocean Airways to Launch Nonstop Fort Lauderdale–Key West Service on Nov. 27 With Fares From $199
Why It MattersThe route adds a private-terminal scheduled option on a leisure corridor usually served through commercial airports, a sign of amphibious charter operators moving into fixed-schedule point-to-point flying.
Tropic Ocean Airways will launch nonstop service between Fort Lauderdale and Key West on Nov. 27, the day after Thanksgiving, with a flight time of about an hour. The airline is previewing the service this weekend by flying passengers from Fort Lauderdale to Key West for Fantasy Fest, said Patricia Summerfield, director of sales and partnerships.
Flights will operate Thursday through Sunday, with one-way fares starting at $199; Summerfield said fares will fluctuate by season and that the airline hopes to grow to seven days a week. The route runs private terminal to private terminal, departing from Tropic Ocean Airways at Sheltair Aviation at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) and arriving at Signature Aviation's private terminal in Key West, next to Key West International Airport. A "Keys in a Day" option offers roundtrip flights for $500 per person, with eight hours in Key West.
The airline operates amphibious aircraft that can land on water or runways. It plans to introduce private charter water landings at Perry Marina on Stock Island in Key West, with boat transfers to the marina until a dedicated seaplane dock is completed; it is working with Integra Investments to build the dock.
Based in Fort Lauderdale, Tropic Ocean Airways provides private charter and scheduled flights throughout Florida, the Caribbean and beyond. It has 10 aircraft, each seating eight passengers and two pilots, flies to 72 destinations, and has about 30 pilots and 75–80 employees. It was founded in 2009 by military veterans Rob Ceravolo and Nick Veltre. Passenger perks include arriving 30 minutes before departure, complimentary valet and multi-day parking, a baggage allowance with every seat, a private lobby with Wi-Fi, snacks and beverages, and pet-friendly travel.
Separately, Key West International Airport installed large digital displays in Concourse A showing marine life and aerial views of the Seven Mile Bridge and Islamorada, created with audiovisual company Electrosonic. The airport passed 1 million passengers for the year in July 2026, its earliest ever. Million Air, which has operated in Marathon since 2022 after acquiring the former Marathon Jet Center, is also expanding private aviation services in the Middle Keys and completed a $5 million fuel farm in Marathon earlier this year.
