Flights to Fort Myers (RSW) for a golf trip: RSW vs Punta Gorda vs Tampa, and driving down

For flights to Fort Myers, RSW is the airport for the whole Naples, Bonita, Estero and Fort Myers golf area: one terminal, nonstops from Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa, and most big US cities. It is 48 minutes from downtown Naples and 25 from downtown Fort Myers. Punta Gorda suits Allegiant cities, Tampa and Fort Lauderdale only for a much cheaper fare.

This guide compares the airports by drive time and airline, lists the Canadian routes, covers the drive down I-75 and points to the courses and hotels closest to RSW. Airline details come from Wikipedia's airline tables read November 3, 2026; drive times are OSRM free-flow estimates and ignore traffic.

Quick facts

• Main airport: Southwest Florida International (RSW), Fort Myers; 11,154,458 passengers in 2025.
• RSW to downtown Naples: 48 min, 35.6 mi. To downtown Fort Myers: 25 min, 14.2 mi.
• Canadian nonstops: Toronto (Air Canada Rouge, Porter, WestJet); seasonal Montreal (Air Canada, Porter) and Ottawa (Porter).
• Second option: Punta Gorda (PGD), Allegiant plus seasonal Sun Country.
• Time zone: Eastern, same as Ontario and Quebec.
• Drive from Toronto: about 2,397 km, 28 hours to Naples.

Flights to Fort Myers RSW and the other airports compared

OSRM ignores traffic. From January to April, I-75 between Naples and Fort Myers, US 41 and Daniels Parkway by the airport can add 15 to 45 minutes at rush hour or on spring-training days. JetBlue Park, the Red Sox spring home, sits just north of RSW on Daniels Parkway.

Canadian flights to Fort Myers

Wikipedia's RSW airlines table, read November 3, 2026, lists these Canadian carriers:

Air Transat, Sunwing and Flair are not listed for RSW in that table. Winter 2026-27 frequencies and start dates were not confirmed because the airport authority's nonstop page could not be read, so check with the airline before you plan a season around a route. Toronto travellers have three carriers to choose from; Montreal and Ottawa service is seasonal. For the rest of the Canadian picture, including stay limits, see our Canadian snowbirds in Naples guide.

US flights to RSW

RSW has a long list of US routes, many of them from snowbird markets. Per the same table:

• Delta: Atlanta, Boston, Cincinnati, Detroit, Minneapolis/St. Paul, New York-JFK and LaGuardia.
• Southwest: Baltimore, Chicago-Midway, Columbus, Indianapolis, Milwaukee, Pittsburgh, St. Louis and others, plus seasonal Albany, Buffalo, Hartford, Providence and Rochester.
• JetBlue: Boston, Buffalo, JFK, White Plains; seasonal Hartford, Islip, Worcester.
• American and United: hubs including Charlotte, Chicago-O'Hare, Dallas/Fort Worth, Philadelphia, Cleveland, Denver, Houston, Newark and Washington.
• Sun Country: Minneapolis/St. Paul, plus seasonal Appleton, Eau Claire, Madison and Milwaukee.
• Low-cost carriers: Allegiant (including Flint from February 11, 2027), Avelo, Breeze and Frontier, with many seasonal Northeast and Midwest cities.

Punta Gorda (PGD): the Allegiant alternative

Punta Gorda had 2,282,002 passengers in 2025. It is served by Allegiant only, plus seasonal Sun Country to Minneapolis/St. Paul. Allegiant flies there from many smaller Midwest and Northeast cities, including Akron/Canton, Cincinnati, Flint, Fort Wayne, Grand Rapids, Pittsburgh, Toledo and Niagara Falls, with Boston starting February 13, 2027. Niagara Falls is the closest option for southern Ontario drivers who cross the border to fly.

PGD is 41 minutes from downtown Fort Myers but 82 from Naples, so it suits a Fort Myers, Cape Coral or Punta Gorda base. Two courses at Babcock Ranch are nearby: Babcock National, which sells public times 3 days out, and the new Nicklaus Design course at Webb's Reserve. Our Punta Gorda golf guide covers the north end.

Tampa, Fort Lauderdale and Miami

These three are worth it only for fares or a combined trip. Tampa adds a long I-75 drive each way, about 3 hours 15 minutes to Naples before Tampa and Sarasota traffic. Fort Lauderdale is about 2 hours 6 minutes to Naples across Alligator Alley, a tolled road with no services for long stretches, so fuel up first. Miami is the least convenient of the three because of its traffic.

Driving down from Canada and the Midwest

Many snowbirds drive so they have a car and clubs for the whole winter. OSRM free-flow estimates to downtown Naples:

Fort Myers is about 40 minutes and 65 km closer, and OSRM tends to run long. Ontario drivers usually cross at Windsor-Detroit or Sarnia-Port Huron and take I-75 almost door to door, since it runs from Michigan to Naples. Quebec and eastern Ontario drivers usually come down I-87 and I-81 to I-95 or I-77, then join I-75 or I-4 in Florida. Snow in Ohio, Kentucky and Tennessee can slow December and January trips. Canadians aged 14 and over staying 30 days or more who did not receive an I-94 record, as most land-crossing drivers do not, must register with USCIS.

Golf near RSW for arrival and departure days

Booking flights to Fort Myers RSW with a morning arrival or an evening departure leaves time for a round. Courses close to the airport:

• San Carlos Golf Club: near RSW and I-75, about 13 minutes from the airport-area Hilton Garden Inn; sells public times on TeeItUp. See the San Carlos course guide.
• Eastwood and Fort Myers Country Club: the city's two courses, both close to the airport, $70 with cart before noon in November 2026. The Eastwood course guide has the rate bands.
• The Club at Westminster: semi-private in Lehigh Acres, close to RSW, open to the public all year; see the Westminster course guide.
• Ibis Landing: Troon-run, east of the airport, with range balls included.

See Fort Myers golf courses for more.

Hotels near the airport

For a late arrival or early flight, the airport cluster on Alico Road by FGCU is minutes from RSW: Hilton Garden Inn Fort Myers Airport/FGCU, the kitchen-suite Homewood Suites next door, and the Residence Inn at Gulf Coast Town Center. SpringHill Suites Fort Myers Airport sits north of the airport toward Daniels Parkway. See cheap hotels in Fort Myers for golf and where to stay in Naples for golf.

Flying to other golf towns

If you are comparing winter destinations, our Palm Springs airport guide covers the desert's Canadian nonstops.

Plan it on the map

Open the Naples golf map to see every course and stay with drive times from downtown Naples, plus RSW and PGD. The $30 plan builds the trip from your arrival airport, with a first-day round near RSW if your flight lands early.