Photo Tour: A Week in the Florida Keys

Upon landing at Key West International Airport at the southern tip of Florida, it’s immediately apparent that you’re someplace a little different and a tad irreverent. “Welcome to the Conch Republic,” a sign on the airport terminal reads. The term Conch Republic dates to 1982 when the Keys symbolically seceded from the U.S. after a Border Patrol blockade. Local officials proclaimed the island chain the independent Conch Republic, and the moniker stuck.

As visitors continue to flock to the Florida Keys, the Key West airport is adding a new $80 million terminal targeted for completion in October 2024. And yes, there are many nonstop flights to Key West -- from Asheville, N.C.; Atlanta; Boston; Charlotte; Chicago; Cincinnati; Dallas; Houston; Indianapolis; Nashville; Newark; New York City LaGuardia and JFK; Philadelphia; and Washington D.C. Reagan and Dulles. In Florida, nonstop flights are offered from Fort Lauderdale, Miami, Orlando, Sanford, Tampa, and St. Petersburg. For more information, click here.