True. Unfortunately I have an airport really close by, Sarasota-Bradenton International (SRQ), but it's a small boutique airport. Fares are expensive because Delta and American are the two main airlines and everything has to go through Atlanta for Delta or Charlotte for AA.

In September 2018, our 40th anniversary trip to SXM was from SRQ and we splurged for first class with Delta. Those 2 tickets were $2100 however coach was still $1500. Most of our trips out of SRQ previously had been to visit family or friends in New York and Jet Blue has non stop service from SRQ to JFK so the idea of driving to Tampa or Fort Myers to save a few bucks was never even a thought.

I guess we became spoiled/accustomed to having a really close airport and even the other two I mentioned were only an hour to an hour and a half drive. We were going to vacation this past June with friends from Nashville however for medical reasons they had to cancel. We had already booked the new FLL to SXM route on Jet Blue so we went on our own. The reason we booked that route was for super savings. Flying Delta from SRQ to SXM in coach would have been $885 pp r/t or $1770 for both. That Jet Blue from FLL to SXM was only $330+/- pp r/t for a savings well in excess of $1,000. So for us the 3.5 hour drive was unusual but I realize that your being in central Florida leaves you in a position of having to make a long drive for just about any airport.