Fly into Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport (ECP), about 14 miles and 24 minutes by car from the beach at Pier Park. American, Delta, Southwest and United fly there, with nonstops to 18 airports. Nine of them are marked seasonal, so check your dates. The next-closest airport, Destin–Fort Walton Beach, is about 1½ hours away; Dothan, Pensacola and Tallahassee take about 2 hours 20 minutes to 2 hours 45 minutes.
Nonstop flightsECP terminal · Photo: Nicolas Henderson / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0 · Credits
ECP is at 6300 West Bay Parkway. Its address says Panama City, but of the five airports below it is by far the closest to the beach. It runs on Central Time.
Driving times are to the Russell-Fields City Pier, without traffic. Add time in summer and on weekends. If a fare elsewhere looks cheaper, count that drive both ways and the car or transfer you need for it.
Sources: Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport; routes: OSRM / OpenStreetMap, November 1, 2026.
Northwest Florida Beaches International (ECP)
Distance14 miDriveAbout 24 minWhereOn West Bay Parkway, north of the beachDestin–Fort Walton Beach (VPS)
Distance54 miDriveAbout 1 h 26 minWhereWest along the coastDothan, Alabama (DHN)
Distance96 miDriveAbout 2 h 20 minWhereTo the northTallahassee (TLH)
Distance109 miDriveAbout 2 h 45 minWhereTo the eastPensacola (PNS)
Distance120 miDriveAbout 2 h 30 minWhereFarther westThis is the airport's own list. It marks some routes as seasonal and gives no schedule for the others. The list shows no 2027 dates for the seasonal routes yet; two new Southwest routes for 2027 come from the other airports' announcements. Check the airline's schedule for both of your travel dates. Boston was listed only for a few days in April 2026.
Sources: ECP: nonstop destinations, airlines; new 2027 routes: Milwaukee Mitchell Airport (July 16, 2026) and Pittsburgh International Airport (October 2, 2026).
The airport lists dozens of private taxi, shuttle and limo companies on its ground transportation page. It publishes no fares, so book with the company directly and ask for a quote to your hotel's address. The page lists no hotel shuttle and no public bus. Ask your hotel whether it offers a pickup before you book. Without a car, check how far your hotel is from what you want to do: the beach stretches along Front Beach Road and Thomas Drive, and many places are a drive apart.
Source: ECP: ground transportation
