I can't fathom that a breeder would allow a puppy to be shipped. There is too much opportunity for something to go terribly wrong. It's stressful enough for a puppy to leave its mum and littermates. Adding to that stress and confusion is truly not advisable.
When we got our most recent pup (August 2016), we had to fly to MN, rent a car to drive to the breeder's home, then meet her/meet the pups. There was no way to do this in one day, so we stayed in a hotel, then traveled home the following day. The breeder had clear, concise instructions for us which included what we needed to bring, what she was sending us home with, and what we could potentially expect. It was a long weekend, which began with a 6 am flight Saturday and ended with us pulling into our driveway at 11 pm Sunday.
I'd be very wary of a breeder who shipped- I'd also be wary of a breeder who doesn't provide explicit instructions.
We flew Delta. Pup flew in an airline-approved, soft-sided carrier, in the cabin, with us. He was in his carrier, under the seat, for take off and landing and most of the flight. The fee was about $100-150. Confirm with the specific airline, as they have differing policies/instructions.
There aren't any directs from Orlando to Ithaca. You can do nonstop from Orlando to Albany, then rent a car and drive to Ithaca. It's only a bit over 3 hours from ALB to Ithaca (we live close to Albany). Albany is a small, easily-navigated airport.
Wishing you all the best with your new pup. Maybe we'll meet you someday at the Atlas Doggie Park
