Is flying out of NY terrifying for a small town family?

[magsmom]

Are you going through Atlanta? Are you changing planes in Atlanta? Now ... that is a HUGE airport! They were in major construction last August. That is Delta's major hub. I would take my chances flying from NYC.

 

[stahshee]

how do you find out about the park and fly program at laguardia? What hotel?

 

[Twende]

I started with looking what it would cost me to leave my car at the airport! Wow! did that add up fast. Next I researched the off site parking places that offered free transport to the airport. Prices were better than the airport long term lot.

From there I went to my airport's web site and looked to see what motels were there.
Later I found this web site: http://www.parksleepfly.com/

I called a number of motels and found the best rates were quoted over the phone to me.

For almost the exact same price as parking at the off site place, we can spend the night at a hotel and get transported to the airport early for our flight. Amazingly the motel with the best price also offers a rather nice breakfast buffet for free. I just hope it opens early enough for us to eat and get to the airport early.

 

[NYDisneyMom]

I called a number of motels and found the best rates were quoted over the phone to me.

For almost the exact same price as parking at the off site place, we can spend the night at a hotel and get transported to the airport early for our flight. Amazingly the motel with the best price also offers a rather nice breakfast buffet for free. I just hope it opens early enough for us to eat and get to the airport early.

A motel?? Near LaGuardia?!! That's a scary thought, IMO.

 

[Twende]

No I am actually flying out of the Cleveland airport.

But I assume most major airports have some kind of motel associated with it.

 

[NotUrsula]

Sorry, my mistake, I meant to say Flushing Bay. LGA airport sits in the middle of a triangle created by Flushing Bay to the SE, Bowery Bay to the NW, and Rikers Island directly to the N. JFK airport is on Jamaica Bay, but JFK has much longer runways; you don't get nearly so much of that "OMG we're going in!" feeling.

If you look at the MTA bus map for Queens and zoom on LGA, you'll see how it is laid out in relation to the water. You both land and take off directly over water (you may also fly very closely over the Riker's Island Bridge, depending on the direction.) http://www.mta.nyc.ny.us/nyct/maps/busqns.pdf

Both of the runways at LGA are 7,000 ft. long, and they actually intersect, which means that the runways have to be alternated when both are in use. There are an awful lot of near misses and aborted landing approaches at LGA.

 

[nygrl]

as someone else posted i say check a limo service. between gas agravation of driving and long term parking prices a limo might be the way to go. we live on long island and only fly jet blue to disney which means we have to go to jfk. there is nothing scary about it! we always take a limo we feel it starts the excitment of the vacation. have fun whatever you decide and dont be scared of ny airports there are pleanty of signs to let you know where to go.

 

[NoodlesTheRabbit]

Moopdog, we live in NEPA too. We always travel to WDW through Boscov's travel. The chartered flight leaves from Avoca...it is a nonstop flight on a Southwest plane to Orlando. We LOVE it. They are so popular, I think they have a flight a week from February through July. The biggest thing to consider for this would be the cost. I forget our total cost! I did get the AAA discount and only booked the room and airfare. This might be something you could look into!

 

[DVCTiff]

My 2 cents:

1) LGA parking has always been the most expensive part of our one-week trips since cheaper long-term parking is never available when we get there.

2) I have ended up in tears at least once maneuvering around LGA to get to the parking (and I do not cry easily).

3) For those of you near Cooperstown, NY: are you sure there aren't better flights out of Albany? I would think that would be the best route. Or we now have Independence flying out of Stewart-Newburgh (though they are not non-stop flights).

4) To anyone coming from PA, I would highly recommend Newark over coming through NY which cannot be worth the time, expense and aggravation. IMHO, it's worth an extra $100 to NOT have to do it. Plus the parking's cheaper at Newark. We flew Continental to MCO from Newark on our honeymoon and it was great.

As far as my own ressies go, I'm flying out of JFK (2 hour drive) on Song and using Avistar for parking (first time).

Good luck everybody!