Traveling before New Year’s? You’ll want to know road and airport issues in Miami area

There’s a lot of coming and going in South Florida this week, the stretch between Christmas and New Year’s.

Travelers are hitting the road now that school is out. And others are returning from out of town after visiting family and friends.

The airports and roads will be crowded with all that movement. So, here are a few tips when it comes to navigating the airports and hitting the highways:

Best and worst times to be on the road

These times are from a traffic analysis distributed by AAA:

▪ Wednesday, Dec. 27

Worst time: 1 to 7 p.m.

Best time: Before noon

▪ Thursday, Dec. 28

Worst time: 2 to 8 p.m.

Best time: Before noon

▪ Friday, Dec. 29

Worst time: 2 to 8 p.m.

Best time: Before noon

▪ Saturday, Dec. 30

Worst time: 5 to 7 p.m.

Best time: Before noon

Sunday, Dec. 31 (New Year’s Eve)

Note: Minimal travel expected

▪ Monday, Jan. 1 (New Year’s Day)

Note: Minimal travel expected

Downtown Miami at New Year’s

Take note that downtown Miami on New Year’s Eve is no easy journey:

▪ New Year’s Eve: While the holiday parade has been gone for years, the celebration at Bayfront Park and the rise of the neon Big Orange to the top of the Hotel Intercontinental will cause traffic jams through the day and night along Biscayne Boulevard, Flagler Street, Second Avenue and the ramps to and from I-95 and the MacArthur Causeway.

▪ Orange Bowl: While the game will be Dec. 30 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, expect fans to crowd downtown Miami, with the Hotel Intercontinental as a base.

▪ Miami Heat: The NBA team is playing out of town this week, so no games at the Kaseya Center.

▪ Arsht Center: “The Cher Show” doesn’t start until Jan. 2 at the Arsht Center for the Performing Arts.

How to find cheap gas near you

MORE: Gas in Florida just went up 16 cents a gallon. What’s next for prices at the pump?

There’s an app to help: The GasBuddy app was built to show motorists prices around them and a fuel tracker can update users on stations that have or don’t have fuel based on supply changes.

Interactive map: Use maps with data from AAA to see the average gas price by county.

Parking at Miami and Fort Lauderdale airports

Are you driving to and parking at the airport this week? Expect the lots and garages at MIA and FLL to fill up at one point or another. But you might get lucky and score a coveted spot during the holiday stretch. And if you don’t, you have some options.

Here’s what to know about airport parking at Miami International and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International:

MIAMI AIRPORT PARKING OPTIONS

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Remote lot: Half-price parking is available at MIA’s remote Economy Park and Ride lot. The 460-space lot provides monitored parking and a free shuttle service to the terminal every 15 minutes for $12 per day, just under half the $25 maximum daily rate at MIA’s Dolphin and Flamingo garages. Located at 1350 NW 45th Ave., the Economy Park-and-Ride lot is accessible from either LeJeune Road or Perimeter Road. Credit cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and PaybyPhone are accepted.

Parking shuttles: Shuttle service pick-up and drop-off locations are on the departures level across from doors 3, 11, and 26. For more information, visit the MIA Parking web page.

Valet parking: The valet lot is across from the check-in area at doors 4 and 20 in the Dolphin and Flamingo garages. Valet parking attendants take a driver’s vehicle and park it in one of 225 dedicated spaces on the departures or arrivals level. Rates are $18 for under three hours, $30 for the first three to 24 hours and $30 each day after. Maximum stay is 20 days.

Nearby parking: A site called Cheap Airport Parking lists nearby hotels and parking lots that offer parking for travelers. You make a reservation, just like you would for a rental car. Most hotel parking lots you’ll find on this site are generally open around the clock, have security and offer a free shuttle to the airport, plus cancellations, according to the website’s FAQ guide. Parking prices and shuttle times vary.

Picking up a passenger: MIA’s Cell Phone Waiting Lot has 60 free parking spaces for non-commercial users waiting to pick up travelers. It’s just off LeJeune Road and Northwest 31st Street, accessible from LeJeune Road heading north or south.

Airport garages: MIA’s two biggest garages are expected to fill up early. Dolphin Garage serves Concourse D and E. Flamingo Garage serves Concourses E-J. If you park in one of the garages, expect to pay $2 every 20 minutes. If your car is parked for more than four hours, you’ll be charged the maximum daily rate of $25, according to the airport. Your car can stay in the garage up to 45 days, except where “no overnight” is listed. After 45 days, your car will be towed. Accepted payments: cash, credit cards (Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Discover), Apple Pay and Samsung Pay. The airport no longer uses SunPass.

FORT LAUDERDALE AIRPORT PARKING OPTIONS

Onsite: Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport has three garages and an overflow lot that opens at peak travel times during the holidays or when the garages are full (signs and workers lead you to it).

Alternatives: There’s a cellphone parking lot where people can park for free while waiting to pick someone up from the airport. FLL has curbside valet too. With the ongoing high demand for curbside valet service and self-parking options at FLL this year, especially during the holidays, airport leaders recommend getting dropped off by family, friends, or a ride-share service (Uber, Lyft, etc.) because the airport’s onsite garages are likely to be filled.

Helpful tools:

▪ Use the FLL app to see real-time parking availability and to help locate your car if you forget where you parked.

▪ To find the closest parking location to your terminal, visit FLL’s website.

Use Space Finder to check available spaces in the garages.

Parking fees: If you park in Hibiscus Garage Level 2 or Palm Garage Level 1, it costs $3 per hour, with a maximum of $36 per day. If you park in Hibiscus Garage Levels 3-7, Palm Garage Levels 2-4 and Cypress Garage Levels 7-9, it costs $3 per hour, with a maximum of $15 per day. Curbside valet is $25 a day and overflow is $10 per day.

Off-site parking if airport lots are full: Park ‘N Go, 1101 Eller Dr. in Fort Lauderdale, and Self Park FLL, 901 Old Griffin Rd. in Dania Beach, are self-parking lots that offer shuttles to and from Fort Lauderdale’s airport. Park ‘N Go’s website notes that during peak times, the lot may occasionally switch to valet parking. To check prices, availability and cancellation policies for Park ‘N Go, visit gator.bookparkngo.com/. For Self Park FLL, visit selfparkfll.com

Inside the Miami airport

When to get to the airport: MIA recommends arriving three hours before your flight to give yourself enough time for parking, airline check-in, and the security screening process. It also suggests checking in online before arriving. It asks that if your flight gets delayed to be patient with airline employees as they work to reschedule and remain in contact with your airline for flight updates.

Checking your flights: MIA has multiple ways online to check flights, including a list of airlines, their door number, departure concourse, check-in counter location and baggage claim area. The airport also has a mobile app.

Flight tracker: The MIA flight tracker shows expected arrivals and departures with options to use a drop-down menu to narrow results. It shows the carrier, flight number and where the plane is going to or coming from. It also gives real-time updates on the flight’s arrival or departure status, which concourse the terminal is in, and the location of baggage claim. Another online tool lets you track by flight or route. If you know the carrier, the date and the flight number, this tool might be easier to use because it will only pull the information for your flight.

Inside the Fort Lauderdale airport

Get there early: Typically, travelers are advised to arrive at least two hours before a domestic flight and three hours if flying internationally. However, during peak holiday periods, it’s best to follow any updated guidance from your airline, as more time may be required for check-in/bag processing. Security processing may also take longer due to increased passenger activity. You can track your flight online.

Visual help: FLL provides access to Aira, the app that helps guide the visually impaired through the airport by connecting through their smartphones and providing a digital assistant.

Hidden disabilities: The airport participates in the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower Program, which provides a discreet way for adults and children with hidden disabilities to show they need additional support or more time with the airport process.

Trams: FLL has inter-garage trams that operate from stops in the Hibiscus and Palm garages to transport passengers between terminals 1 and 4.

Miami Herald staff writer Michelle Marchante contributed to this report.