Anyone fly out of DC-Reagan instead of Dulles now?

[princessmorgan]

Just wondering if it's worth the hassle to save $300 to fly out of DCA with JetBlue instead of IAD with United with a party of 7. We'd have to park at the airport now instead of being dropped off since it's further away. Oh Jetblue, please come back to IAD

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

JetBlue is still flying from IAD. Not sure what you're talking about.

 

[princessmorgan]

JetBlue is still flying from IAD. Not sure what you're talking about.

Sorry, they're just not flying nonstop to MCO anymore.

 

[mikehn]

If its a matter of $43 per passenger, I'd gladly pay $43 extra for a nonstop flight out of any of the three airports

 

[rwdavis2]

We flew Jet Blue out out of DCA a couple weeks ago. The flight to MCO was 90 minutes late leaving due to mechanical issues. The flight home was about 30 minutes late leaving MCO because the flight from DCA was late getting in.

Regional (2x2 seating) jet down and Airbus 319 (3x3 seating) back.

I'm wondering if Jet Blue out of DCA has issues or just our bad luck. We picked these flight because they were $168 per pserson total vs. Southwest out of BWI at $300+ per person.

 

[wdwfan757]

To get a nonstop flight to MCO these days, Im pretty sure you've got to fly out of Reagan. Im positive that's the only reason I booked that DCA flight for January. Im in Prince William and there's no other logical explanation I'd want to go all the way to Reagan over Dulles.

 

[Shea&Van]

We have been actually looking forward to flying out of DCA b/c of a great experience we had recently with both JetBlue and AirTran. Both times we had non-stops that were much cheaper than going out of BWI or IAD. Luckily, we didn't have a delay either way. The seats were awesome with extra space and TVs for the kiddos. $300 is a good chunk of change to save, so I'd probably vote "yes." G/L with your decision.

Have a happy day!

 

[rwdavis2]

We have been actually looking forward to flying out of DCA b/c of a great experience we had recently with both JetBlue and AirTran. Both times we had non-stops that were much cheaper than going out of BWI or IAD. Luckily, we didn't have a delay either way. The seats were awesome with extra space and TVs for the kiddos. $300 is a good chunk of change to save, so I'd probably vote "yes." G/L with your decision.

Have a happy day!

I'd be willing to give it another chance out of DCA. This January we're going Southwest out of BWI. The cost savings was not enough to drive that far again. We're only 15-20 minutes or so from BWI.

 

[GrnMtnMan]

We flew Jet Blue out out of DCA a couple weeks ago. The flight to MCO was 90 minutes late leaving due to mechanical issues. The flight home was about 30 minutes late leaving MCO because the flight from DCA was late getting in.

Regional (2x2 seating) jet down and Airbus 319 (3x3 seating) back.

I'm wondering if Jet Blue out of DCA has issues or just our bad luck. We picked these flight because they were $168 per pserson total vs. Southwest out of BWI at $300+ per person.

I flew JetBlue in October in and out of DCA...no issues either end of the trip.

I find DCA to be the easiest of the DC area airports. Security is usually manageable, and there are no subways or long walks to the gate, especially in the terminal Jet Blue uses.

 

[n2mm]

We've done it. We don't like it, but if we want to fly nonstop to Florida, DCA is the only choice with Jetblue. We live in WV, so Dulles is only 1 hour away. We got a ride to Shady Grove and dragged our bags on the metro. It took 1 hour to get to DCA on metro along with the 1 hour to drive to Shady grove. TSA was very easy, but we didn't like DCA at all. The terminal was packed and there was no place to sit. Coming home we rented a car and drove ourselves home, then returned it back to Dulles the next day (with someone to pick us up afterwards). It was a hassle, but since we only take 3-4 trips a year, it's not like we have to do it all of the time. As for someone posting that Jetblue doesn't fly out of Dulles, well they do, but they no longer offer non-stop flights to Florida out of IAD. In October we flew out of IAD on United (and I remembered why I didn't like United after that flight). But it was only 2 hours so we sucked it up. We had to pay for our bags, but we were trying all options. I just booked my January flights yesterday and again going to try the metro thing again. We booked the 1:00PM flight so that we can try to avoid some of the rush hour, though 270 is always rush hour no matter what time you take it. Since I spent 30 years of my life working in DC, metro was not a big deal for me, though my DH was amazed at how easy I made it seem. Again in January, we will most likely rent a car, but will just drive to Dulles and wait for someone to pick us up there. I know it sounds crazy, but since our trips are generally anywhere from 10-15 days, we just don't want to pay to park. I wish they would return to Dulles, maybe when the metro is finished they will come back. I was hoping another airline would start flying non-stops to Florida out of Dulles besides United.

 

[izzy]

We've done it. We don't like it, but if we want to fly nonstop to Florida, DCA is the only choice with Jetblue. We live in WV, so Dulles is only 1 hour away. We got a ride to Shady Grove and dragged our bags on the metro. It took 1 hour to get to DCA on metro along with the 1 hour to drive to Shady grove. TSA was very easy, but we didn't like DCA at all. The terminal was packed and there was no place to sit. Coming home we rented a car and drove ourselves home, then returned it back to Dulles the next day (with someone to pick us up afterwards). It was a hassle, but since we only take 3-4 trips a year, it's not like we have to do it all of the time. As for someone posting that Jetblue doesn't fly out of Dulles, well they do, but they no longer offer non-stop flights to Florida out of IAD. In October we flew out of IAD on United (and I remembered why I didn't like United after that flight). But it was only 2 hours so we sucked it up. We had to pay for our bags, but we were trying all options. I just booked my January flights yesterday and again going to try the metro thing again. We booked the 1:00PM flight so that we can try to avoid some of the rush hour, though 270 is always rush hour no matter what time you take it. Since I spent 30 years of my life working in DC, metro was not a big deal for me, though my DH was amazed at how easy I made it seem. Again in January, we will most likely rent a car, but will just drive to Dulles and wait for someone to pick us up there. I know it sounds crazy, but since our trips are generally anywhere from 10-15 days, we just don't want to pay to park. I wish they would return to Dulles, maybe when the metro is finished they will come back. I was hoping another airline would start flying non-stops to Florida out of Dulles besides United.

I don't know where you live in West Virginia, but Frontier airlines has just started some limited nonstop flights out of the Shenandoah Valley regional airport, and the round trip fares are really good, around $130 or so. I do think you have to pay for luggage, but parking is free at this airport which helps offset the luggage cost. The only problem I see with it is that they only do the flights three times a week, I think on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday mornings. And it is an actual real jet and not a puddle jumper!

I don't know if you know where this airport is, but its about 10 minutes south of Harrisonburg. The airport code is SHD.

 

[n2mm]

I don't know where you live in West Virginia, but Frontier airlines has just started some limited nonstop flights out of the Shenandoah Valley regional airport, and the round trip fares are really good, around $130 or so. I do think you have to pay for luggage, but parking is free at this airport which helps offset the luggage cost. The only problem I see with it is that they only do the flights three times a week, I think on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday mornings. And it is an actual real jet and not a puddle jumper!

I don't know if you know where this airport is, but its about 10 minutes south of Harrisonburg. The airport code is SHD.

Thanks for the info. I'll look into it. I know Alliegant is/was flying out of Hagerstown, but with the schedule it just didn't work plus all of the add ons made it cost more than anyone else. We would try either for a last minute trip, but do fear buying too far our on either, because Alliegant pulled out of Hagerstown last year with no warning and left folks with no airline at the last minute, but they are trying again. We are in Charles Town.

 

[Ladcassidy]

We live a few minutes from DCA, so that is our home airport, and always our "first choice" for flying. We are flying non-stop to MCO on USAirways in February. Tickets were under $200 each.

 

[princessmorgan]

Thanks for all your responses and experiences! I'm still torn. United is the only airline that flies nonstop from IAD-MCO, and it's only 7 minutes from my house. But United would not be my first choice of airline. We'd have to pay for bags, too. Tickets aren't too bad. Some are as low as $148 and around $180 for the flights I'd like.

DCA is about 30-40 minutes depending on traffic and we'd have to park. I really like flying with Jetblue though. Our trip is in January and some of the flights are as low as $110 RT! We'd have to stay like 10 days, but hey, more time at Disney

I think my biggest concern is with delays and weather in January. You never know what you're going to get and with the ages of kids I have, it's always better to be closer to home.

 

[princessmorgan]

We've done it. We don't like it, but if we want to fly nonstop to Florida, DCA is the only choice with Jetblue. We live in WV, so Dulles is only 1 hour away. We got a ride to Shady Grove and dragged our bags on the metro. It took 1 hour to get to DCA on metro along with the 1 hour to drive to Shady grove. TSA was very easy, but we didn't like DCA at all. The terminal was packed and there was no place to sit. Coming home we rented a car and drove ourselves home, then returned it back to Dulles the next day (with someone to pick us up afterwards). It was a hassle, but since we only take 3-4 trips a year, it's not like we have to do it all of the time. As for someone posting that Jetblue doesn't fly out of Dulles, well they do, but they no longer offer non-stop flights to Florida out of IAD. In October we flew out of IAD on United (and I remembered why I didn't like United after that flight). But it was only 2 hours so we sucked it up. We had to pay for our bags, but we were trying all options. I just booked my January flights yesterday and again going to try the metro thing again. We booked the 1:00PM flight so that we can try to avoid some of the rush hour, though 270 is always rush hour no matter what time you take it. Since I spent 30 years of my life working in DC, metro was not a big deal for me, though my DH was amazed at how easy I made it seem. Again in January, we will most likely rent a car, but will just drive to Dulles and wait for someone to pick us up there. I know it sounds crazy, but since our trips are generally anywhere from 10-15 days, we just don't want to pay to park. I wish they would return to Dulles, maybe when the metro is finished they will come back. I was hoping another airline would start flying non-stops to Florida out of Dulles besides United.

What didn't you like about United? I haven't flown with them in so long, and I don't really want to either.

 

[rwdavis2]

Thanks for all your responses and experiences! I'm still torn. United is the only airline that flies nonstop from IAD-MCO, and it's only 7 minutes from my house. But United would not be my first choice of airline. We'd have to pay for bags, too. Tickets aren't too bad. Some are as low as $148 and around $180 for the flights I'd like.

DCA is about 30-40 minutes depending on traffic and we'd have to park. I really like flying with Jetblue though. Our trip is in January and some of the flights are as low as $110 RT! We'd have to stay like 10 days, but hey, more time at Disney

I think my biggest concern is with delays and weather in January. You never know what you're going to get and with the ages of kids I have, it's always better to be closer to home.

I've been flying with United from IAD and BWI for the least year (about 8-9 times) with no real issues. I got their credit card so the first checked bag is free. If you haul the bag to the gate they usually will check it for free due to limited space on board.

 

[princessmorgan]

I've been flying with United from IAD and BWI for the least year (about 8-9 times) with no real issues. I got their credit card so the first checked bag is free. If you haul the bag to the gate they usually will check it for free due to limited space on board.

I was thinking about getting their CC if I knew we would be flying with them for awhile. Is it just the cardholder that gets a free bag or a companion, too?

 

[rwdavis2]

I was thinking about getting their CC if I knew we would be flying with them for awhile. Is it just the cardholder that gets a free bag or a companion, too?

One companion gets a free bag. We flew with 4 people in June and only 2 of us got free bags.

 

[GrnMtnMan]

DCA is about 30-40 minutes depending on traffic and we'd have to park.

We'd have to park at the airport now instead of being dropped off since it's further away.

Not sure I understand why you 'have to park' at DCA.

I get that DCA is further from your home than IAD, but, in the grand scheme of things, its really not that far between the two places. Its not like you need a passport to cross some border...its just an hour or so more in the car for you driver.

Personally, I think you're undervaluing the ease of getting around at DCA, especially with strollers/little ones.. I've navigated IAD with a stroller and it can be a bit of a hassle....so many elevators to wait for*.

At DCA, not a single elevator to get on (terminal A, where jet blue is located), no mobile lounges or trams to get the family on, security is generally much shorter or at least much less crowded, and JetBlue's check-in area and baggage claim is pretty much exclusive to JetBlue and much less crowded than the Dulles check-in desks. All of which adds to the overall higher stress level at IAD.

*One trip a year or two ago, starting from the parking lot we had to take ELEVEN elevators to get to our gate: tram system had us get off at several mezzanine levels, plus security on its own level, plus we had to cross over to the United regional jet gates. It added about 20 minutes.

 

[Missyrose]

We flew out of DCA for the first time last month and had a pretty good experience. Our gate wasn't in the new, remodeled part of DCA, it was in one of the older annexes. The pros of that was a non-existent security line, but the downside was a lack of options for breakfast. Our flight out and coming back left on time.

Going out was the planes with three seats on either side, coming back was two and two. We did decide to upgrade to the extra legroom seats anytime we're scheduled to fly on the smaller planes, there's just not enough overhead bin space so getting to board early is a plus.

We also live less than 10 minutes from Dulles and had gotten very spoiled by the proximity, but as long as we can get early, nonstop flight down to MCO and a late, nonstop flight on the way back, we'll schlep to DCA. Plus, both our January and May roundtrip tickets were only $180 apiece.