Miami to the Bahamas: flight, seaplane, ferry or cruise, and whether a day trip to Bimini works
How to get from Miami to the Bahamas: nonstop flights to Bimini, seaplanes, the ferry from Fort Lauderdale, short cruises, and the passport rules.
The short version
- Ferry from Miami: None. Balearia's ferry to Bimini leaves from Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale.
- Fastest to Bimini: American flies nonstop from MIA to South Bimini on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays.
- Seaplane: Tropic Ocean Airways flies from Miami Seaplane Base and Fort Lauderdale to Bimini.
- Easiest with lodging: A 3- or 4-night cruise from PortMiami to Nassau, Bimini or a private island.
- Papers: A passport for everyone; U.S. citizens need no Bahamian visa for a visit.
There is no ferry from Miami to the Bahamas: fly from MIA or by seaplane for a short Bimini trip, take Balearia's ferry from Fort Lauderdale, or book a three- or four-night cruise from PortMiami if you want the trip done for you.
Pick by the trip you want
| Bimini for a day, back the same night | Seaplane from Miami Seaplane Base or Fort Lauderdale, or the ferry from Port Everglades on a date when its schedule allows a same-day return |
| A long weekend on Bimini | American's nonstop from MIA to South Bimini on Monday, Wednesday or Saturday |
| The Bahamas without planning hotels or meals | A three- or four-night cruise from PortMiami |
| Nassau, Eleuthera or the Exumas | A flight; Tropic Ocean Airways also lists Nassau, Eleuthera, the Exumas and Harbour Island |
| You want to go by boat | Balearia Caribbean from Port Everglades, Fort Lauderdale: Brightline from downtown Miami, then a ride to the port |
Every way from Miami to the Bahamas, compared
| Option | Leaves from | What we confirmed | What to check yourself |
|---|---|---|---|
| American Airlines nonstop | Miami International (MIA) | Miami to South Bimini, three times a week (Monday, Wednesday, Saturday) since February 14, 2026, on Embraer 175 jets | Fares, and whether the 2027 schedule keeps the same days |
| Tropic Ocean Airways seaplane | Miami Seaplane Base; Fort Lauderdale Sheltair, 1050 Lee Wagener Blvd; Palm Beach | Scheduled seats and charters to Bimini, Nassau, Abaco, Andros, Eleuthera, the Exumas and Harbour Island; the airline advertises a 26-minute flight to Bimini | Price, bag limits and which base flies your route |
| Balearia Caribbean ferry | Port Everglades, Fort Lauderdale | Fast ferry to Bimini since 2019, when the route moved from Miami to Port Everglades; a crossing of just under two hours at launch; Balearia also sails to Freeport | The current timetable, fares and terminal, on baleariacaribbean.com |
| Cruise | PortMiami | Short Bahamas sailings, for example Royal Caribbean's 3-night Wonder of the Seas to Perfect Day at CocoCay and Nassau, and Virgin Voyages 4-night trips with a day at its Beach Club at Bimini | Price per person with taxes, port fees and gratuities |
Balearia's own site refused our fetch, and the schedules we saw on resellers disagreed with each other, so we do not quote ferry times or fares here. Balearia paused Bimini sailings for dry dock maintenance from January 5 to 16, 2026, which shows the ferry can stop for a week or two.
American route from the Bahamas tourism ministry via search; flytropic.com; Marine Link 2019 and search results for Balearia; cruiseweb.com and vvinsider.com listings; checked October 2026
Can you do the Bahamas as a day trip from Miami?
Yes, but only Bimini, the Bahamian island nearest to Florida, and only if the timing lines up. The seaplane is the reliable way to make it a day: Tropic Ocean Airways flies from the Miami Seaplane Base and from Sheltair at Fort Lauderdale airport to the Bimini North Seaplane Base, with scheduled seats and charters. It does not publish fares on its home page, so price the round trip before you plan the day around it.
The ferry looks like the cheap version of the same idea, but it leaves from Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, not from Miami, and day-trip timing depends on the season's schedule. From downtown Miami, Brightline gets you to Fort Lauderdale in about 33 minutes; the port is then a ride from the station.
American's nonstop to South Bimini suits a weekend more than a day: it flies on three days a week, with a morning departure from Miami, so you would spend at least one night.
Nassau and the bigger islands are not day trips. Fly, or let a cruise ship do the travel at night.
Short cruises from PortMiami
Short Bahamas cruises are the easiest way to see the islands from Miami, because the ship is the hotel. Royal Caribbean sails from Terminal A, Norwegian from Terminal B, Carnival from Terminals D, E and F, MSC from Terminal AA and Virgin Voyages from Terminal V, according to PortMiami.
Two examples we could check: Royal Caribbean's 3-night Wonder of the Seas leaves Miami on Fridays at 4:30 pm, spends Saturday at Perfect Day at CocoCay and Sunday in Nassau, and is back Monday at 6:30 am, with sailings listed from October 30, 2026 to April 16, 2027. Virgin Voyages lists 4-night sailings from Miami in 2027 that include a day at its Beach Club at Bimini, some with Key West and one with Freeport.
Cruise fares move every day and the headline price leaves out taxes, port fees and gratuities, so compare the final total, not the lead-in number.
Passport and paperwork
- Everyone entering the Bahamas needs a passport, according to the Bahamas Department of Immigration
- U.S. citizens visiting as tourists need no Bahamian visa for a stay of up to eight months; the officer at the port sets the actual length
- All visitors must have a return or onward ticket
- Not a U.S. citizen? Check the Bahamas visa rules for your passport and make sure your U.S. visa or ESTA lets you back into the United States
- Cruise passengers: your cruise line tells you which documents it accepts; follow its list, not a blog's
- Carry the boarding pass or ferry ticket for the trip home; you may be asked for it on arrival
Questions people ask
Is there a ferry from Miami to the Bahamas?
Not from Miami. Balearia Caribbean runs the ferry to Bimini from Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale; its route moved there from Miami in 2019. Check times and fares on baleariacaribbean.com.
Can you do a day trip to the Bahamas from Miami?
To Bimini, yes: by seaplane from the Miami Seaplane Base or Fort Lauderdale, or by the ferry from Port Everglades on days when the schedule allows a same-day return.
How long is the flight from Miami to Bimini?
Tropic Ocean Airways advertises a 26-minute seaplane flight to Bimini. American's nonstop from MIA to South Bimini flies Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
Do I need a passport to go to the Bahamas from Miami?
Yes. The Bahamas Department of Immigration requires a passport from everyone entering. U.S. citizens do not need a Bahamian visa for a tourist visit of up to eight months.
What is the cheapest way to get to the Bahamas from Miami?
It depends on the dates. Compare a short cruise's full price with taxes and fees against flight or ferry fares plus a hotel; none of these operators publishes one fixed price.
More guides
PortMiami cruise terminals: which line sails from where, tunnel or bridge, and garage heightsDowntown · Cruise · Portmiami · 4 min read
Miami to Key West: driving the Overseas Highway, the bus, shuttles and the flightKey west · Road trip · 4 min readTrain from Miami to Fort Lauderdale, Boca Raton and West Palm Beach: Brightline or Tri-RailDowntown · Brightline · Tri rail · 4 min readEntry rules from immigration.gov.bs; PortMiami terminals from miamidade.gov/portmiami; Tropic Ocean Airways bases from flytropic.com; American's Miami-Bimini nonstop from the Bahamas tourism ministry release as returned by search (bahamas.com refused fetching); Balearia ferry from Marine Link (2019) and search results, as baleariacaribbean.com refused fetching; cruise itineraries from cruiseweb.com and vvinsider.com listings; checked October 2026.