It is one of three airports serving the Miami metropolitan area. The airport is off Interstate 595, Interstate 95, U.S. Route 1, Florida State Road A1A, and Florida State Road 5 bounded by the cities Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood, and Dania Beach, 3 miles (5 km) southwest of downtown Fort Lauderdale and 21 miles (34 km) north of Miami.

With over 700 daily flights to 135 domestic and international destinations, FLL has become an intercontinental gateway since the late 1990s, although Miami International Airport still handles most long-haul flights. FLL serves as a primary airport for the Fort Lauderdale, Pompano Beach, and Boca Raton areas, and a secondary airport for parts of Miami and areas north of Boca Raton for flights that are not served by Palm Beach International Airport, such as Delray Beach, Jupiter, Boynton Beach, and West Palm Beach. The airport is a base for Allegiant Air, JetBlue and Spirit Airlines, the latter of which has its corporate headquarters nearby in the suburb of Miramar, Florida.

In addition, FLL is the primary South Florida airport for Southwest Airlines (although Southwest also serves both Miami and Palm Beach) with the majority of Southwest flights currently serving Fort Lauderdale. FLL is classified by the US Federal Aviation Administration as a "major hub" facility serving commercial air traffic.