Private charter to & from Key West

Key West sits at the end of the Overseas Highway, closer to Havana than to Miami, and that distance is part of its appeal. The island runs on its own rhythm: conch houses and gingerbread trim in Old Town, sunset at Mallory Square, Duval Street's bars and galleries, and a literary history that includes Ernest Hemingway, Tennessee Williams and Elizabeth Bishop. Tourism drives the economy, along with a Naval Air Station and a busy charter fishing and diving industry.

Anglers come for tarpon, permit and bonefish on the flats and for sailfish and mahi offshore, while divers explore the Florida Reef, the only living coral barrier reef in the continental United States. Day trips run to Dry Tortugas National Park by seaplane or ferry. Driving from Miami takes several hours on a largely two-lane road where a single accident can stop traffic; flying privately skips that drive entirely and lets you arrive in time for sunset. For couples and small groups, booking the whole airplane means the island weekend starts the moment you leave home.