A Question for Those Flying from MSP

[MNSusan]

We have a trip planned to WDW in mid November. I've been watching the airfares and would be ready to book except for one thing.... I'm concerned the flight I might book today that leaves at 7:30a may end up leaving at 1:30p by the time November gets here. What's your experience with schedule changes? Are there any airlines that are better about this? Who's the worst?

I booked the flights for our November 04 trip sometime in July or August, I think, on AirTran. The times changed but only by a few minutes.

Many thanks,
Susan

 

[lsteadman]

Sun Country will move your flight times by at least 15 mins (that has been my personal experience)

NWA will leave right on time (don't be late)

 

[dudspizza]

My last two trips, Sun Country has moved my times. August was a half hour, and this June it moved an hour and 15 mintues. They are still early morning flights down, so I am fine with that. If they move their times, it affects both directions, so you are usually getting the same amount of time in the sun. What I mean is that SC moved my flight for June earlier, but then the return flight back home is moved the same amount of time earlier.... not a big deal. I have never seen them move a flight from early morning to the afternoon, at least not in the last year or so.

OK, here is where I hopefully can help you out.

Sun Country has a code out there for buy 2 tickets, get the 3rd for FREE. It was in the St. Paul Winter Carnival button info. Purchase has to be made by March 1 and there are blackout dates. The info says to call Sun Country to find out the exact blackout dates. Flights can be purchase for almost all of 2005.

I did the math using the code and the dates of Nov 9-16.
Tickets are at 228.90 with all taxes.
3 people = $152.60pp
4 people = $171.67pp
5 people = $183.12pp
6 people = $152.60pp

These prices are approximate because you have to pay for the taxes on the free ticket which is around $15. Also, flight times around TDay seemed to be higher (around $120 each way) so costs would be higher around that time, plus there may be blackout dates around the holiday.

PM me if you want to discuss the code more... I have it and can share.

Duds

 

[MNSusan]

Hi duds! I sent you a PM. Our trip is Nov 12-19, so your dates are pretty close.

I guess I don't mind if they move the flights a bit - that's usually no big deal. I just didn't want to lose 1/2 day either way.

Many thanks! Those are great prices!

Susan

 

[dudspizza]

The 12th prices at 102.33 with a 8:15am departure and 12:20pm arrival.

The 19th prices at 102.33 as well. Forgot to check the departure time, but it is usually 45 mintues after the flight from MSP arrives, so right now it is around 1:05 or so. GOod times.

Total per ticket is 238.90. You can do the math. Remember to figure on about $15 for each free ticket for the taxes. The prices I listed above go up about $7-$10pp... still good fares.

Duds

 

[mic&min]

We just booked our Thanksgiving trip with Sun Country. The roundtrip price was $233.90 which I thought was awesome. NWA was still close to $400.00.

We tried to use the Winter Carnival promotion but our flight home was a blackout date and we could not switch it one day later. Dudspizza, I think you were the one who had mentioned the code before so that was why I bought a button. Thanks for that info!!! I will have to remember next year just in case they have it again....

 

[zulaya]

Hi Susan! I know you had great experiences with Airtran but not having flown them I can't say how they are with time changes.

I know that NWA has never moved times on us, except once and it was by 3 minutes. Oh no.

Sun Country has gotten their act together a bit better it seems. I haven't flown then for at least 3 years. The last time it was a fiasco both ways. The flight down was originally a non-stop, then they added a stop in Milwaukee. Not a happy thing for me with then 4 and 5 year old kids. Then on the way back, the plane that was supposed to get us at MCO was seriously delayed coming in from Las Vegas (why, I can't remember). But being that SC is a smaller airline, there were no other planes they could pull in to take care of our flight. We had to wait it out. All 3 hours of it, in the terminal.

Now, to be fair, again, I haven't flown SC since then, but there have been very good reviews here on the DIS from people who have. At this time, I would consider flying SC if their times were right and the price was right. In fact, I'd fly them my next trip if I didn't have a free NWA ticket that I needed to use up.

 

[MNSusan]

Hi Zulaya! We had a fine experience with AirTran in January - they did change the flight times but not by much. We flew SunCountry to Denver last summer with no problem, but we didn't book that far in advance - maybe 3 weeks.

Interestingly, the one crummy story I have is with NWA. We were in Boston and they cancelled our flight home. They had booked us on another flight that stopped in Detroit, BUT it left an hour earlier than our original flight. They had emailed the change and left a message on our home machine, but neither got to us, as it was while we were on vacation. So we show up an hour before our flight and they tell us it just left, and it was the last flight of the day. They were going to charge us for a flight the next day, but I think when they saw how many FF miles both my husband and I have, they backed off. Soooo, the lesson there is to make sure the contact number/email is one that you have access to while you're gone! We changed ours to our cell phone numbers.

Susan

 

[dudspizza]

My NWA horror story is from many years ago.

I was 17 years old and I flew by myself to London to be with my dad for Christmas. The flight there was no problem. I even had to change planes at Boston-Logan.

The flight back was slightly more interesting. I was routed through Boston again.... except when we landed in Boston, our connecting flight to MSP had been cancelled! So, we get our bags, go through customs and head for the NWA counter. The only flight remaining is a flight routed through Washington DC! Not much choice there, so I got that flight. We landed in Washington DC without a hitch, but sat there for a long time. Finally, they told us they were having mechanical difficulties and we had to get off. We were escorted a few gates away to another plane headed for MSP and were told to find an open seat, Southwest Airlines style! Well, I got back to MSP much later than planned and my mom was waiting for me all worried. Did I mention we lived in Grand Rapids, MN and had a 3.5 hour drive home yet... and did I mention it was New Years Eve.

Very interesting. It was actually kind of amusing and never once did I feel scared are worried. I just followed directions and made it home fine.

Happy night, Minnesota!

Duds

 

[hercamore]

do you mean the Northwest 7:30 flight? We've take that several times. One of their most popular flights. As someone said, "don't be late". NW doesn't vary by too much especially for early fliights.


herc.

 

[ndmommy]

We are flying on Sun Country for our trip the first week of June. After I read this thread about flight changes, I decided to check my flight times. Mine has changed by 1 hr and 15 min, too. We were originally scheduled to leave MSP at 7:30AM and arrive at MCO at 11:35AM. Now we leave at 6:15AM and arrive at 10:20AM. What time do you think we need to be at the airport? I know they say two hours before, but do think we really need to be there that early if we do the web check in the day before. Do you think an hour and a half will be enough time?

Also, now I am worried about checking in at POFQ. I knew I was going to be early before, but was hopeful I could still get into a room. Now I am really concerned. We are traveling with my sister and her family, so we will have 4 children with us 8, 6, 6, and 5. They are going to be tired from having to be up at such an early time, and I don't look forward to dragging tired kids around a park or Downtown Disney until our room is available. Any advice?? Thanks!!

 

[dudspizza]

We are flying on Sun Country for our trip the first week of June. After I read this thread about flight changes, I decided to check my flight times. Mine has changed by 1 hr and 15 min, too. We were originally scheduled to leave MSP at 7:30AM and arrive at MCO at 11:35AM. Now we leave at 6:15AM and arrive at 10:20AM. What time do you think we need to be at the airport? I know they say two hours before, but do think we really need to be there that early if we do the web check in the day before. Do you think an hour and a half will be enough time?

Also, now I am worried about checking in at POFQ. I knew I was going to be early before, but was hopeful I could still get into a room. Now I am really concerned. We are traveling with my sister and her family, so we will have 4 children with us 8, 6, 6, and 5. They are going to be tired from having to be up at such an early time, and I don't look forward to dragging tired kids around a park or Downtown Disney until our room is available. Any advice?? Thanks!!

Sent you a PM.....

 

[ndmommy]

Thanks Dudspizza!! I can always count on you for great advice.

I have also been reading all your great advice about National. I think you have sold dh and I on renting a car through National this time instead of going with a towncar.