Any experience with MHT (Manchester)?

[snowbunny]

Next trip I was planning to drive to BOS for a direct flight to MCO on JetBlue (rather than using our home airport, PWM, with connection in PHL or IAD on one of the majors).

However I see that SWA flies direct to MCO out of MHT. Any experience with this airport? I want to stay overnight at an airport hotel and park the car there for the week. Thanks in advance.

 

[mogulskr]

We just flew from MHT to MCO last week with Southwest. Manchester is great to fly from. Getting in and out is easy. Parking is 8 bucks a day, a lot cheaper then Boston. Any more questions let me know.

 

[QT Pooh]

Manchester is our home airport. We love it. It's small and efficient. The Highlander Inn is the closest hotel to the airport. They have a park and fly program there with shuttles to the airport...but there are other hotels along Brown Ave. too. If you need specific information, you can go to flymanchester.com to get more info on the airport.

 

[The Warden]

Snowbunny,
PWM is our home airport too...but with a 6 year old a direct flight is more attractive and we have flown to MCO 3 times from MHT in the past year. From Kennebunk it is an easy hour and 15 minutes. Parking is easy and the shuttle runs often. It's a little bigger than PWM, but not much. Plenty of places to stay nearby and a mall with plenty of eating options.

Have fun.

 

[Brian Noble]

The Highlander Inn

I stay here every time I visit Dartmouth with an early morning flight back. Very nice place.

MHT is a well-run, smaller airport. Very efficient. If you can fly direct from there at a good price, I'd jump at it.

 

[Tinkim]

I am probably a little biased because I live in NH but I love MHT. The airport is smaller, clean, and easy to get in and out of. I agree with everyone else and I think you'll like it too! Good luck.

 

[magicmommy]

I live about halfaway between Logan and Manchester and I fly out of MHT if at all possible. If you park in the garage it is 15 dollars per day and 75 per week. The other nice thing about Southwest is there are no fees associated with changing your flights and if available you can get a credit if the rate drops.

 

[snowbunny]

Thanks a lot everybody. This sounds like a lot less hassle than BOS.

 

[JudithM]

We have used the Manchester Airport to visit friends near Boston. It is much easier than getting in & out of Logan. Side note - we just flew in & out of the Providence, RI airport to get to Newport. I would consider PVD to get to Boston, too.

 

[Chip 'n Dale Express]

I fly the non-stops from MCO to MHT all the time. Love the airport, love Southwest.

Best of all, the prices can be great if you catch the deals!

 

[xterratri]

I fly out of MHT rather than PWM because the tickets tend to be much, much cheaper. It's 35 minutes up to PWM or 1 hr 15 to MHT but the ticket savings more than make up for it. I'll be doing 2 short weekend trips and one long weekend trip to FL in April and May and that is only possible because I know I can get reasonable priced, direct flights out of MHT. BTW, I only paid 13/day for the long term garage right by the terminal when I went to DC in Oct. I would have parked in the long term surface lot but we were running later than I wanted because my travel companion wasn't ready when I went to pick him up.

 

[c&ldisneylovers]

Dh and I just flew out of MHT Thanksgiving week. We live in Central Maine but chose MHT becuase the price of two plane tickets was less than 1 ticket (out of PWM or BGR). We drove down the night before and stayed at the Tage Inn. I think we paid about $100 but got FREE parking and shuttle service to/from the airport. We would fly out of MHT again but not during the winter. We drove both ways (3 hours each way) in pouring rain which changed into snow. The next time we fly in the winter will pay the extra money to fly out of a closer airport. It will just be less stressful for me (I HATE driving in bad weather.)
When we fly out of Logan we take Concord Trailways out of Portland. We don't have to worry about parking and it is great to have door-to-door service.

 

[snowbunny]

I think we paid about $100 but got FREE parking and shuttle service to/from the airport.

Wow that's a deal...was that through the hotel?

Now I just have to stress on when SWA will open up their fares for next fall

 

[maine_jennifer]

I flew out of Manchester in October when PanAm canceled my flights. Was nice to have a direct flight, but the 2 hour +/- journey isn't my thing. Saving just $50 isn't worth it to me with the added drive time. I know other people disagree, but hey we all like and tolerate different things.

You can also try www.allegiantair.com out of Portsmouth. They have one flight out and one flight back on Sundays, Mondays, Thusdays, and Fridays.
Depending on when you're flying it can be cheaper. Free parking, too, I think.

Cheers!

 

[snowbunny]

I flew out of Manchester in October when PanAm canceled my flights. Was nice to have a direct flight, but the 2 hour +/- journey isn't my thing. Saving just $50 isn't worth it to me with the added drive time. I know other people disagree, but hey we all like and tolerate different things.

I hear you....I'm not doing it to save a few dollars though. I've found connecting service out of PWM unreliable. More than 50% of the trips I've taken out of PWM, the plane isn't here on time so I miss a connection in Philly or elsewhere, basically ruining the first day of our vacation. We missed the first day of a family reunion on Bermuda last year because we couldn't get out of here. Plus, the 2 hours of driving is easily balanced by the 2+ hours it takes to land at PHL, deplane, change gates, board, and take off for flight to MCO.

Second, to get to MCO out of PWM before 5 pm, I have to get my kids on a plane (in theory, see above) at 6 am which means leaving the house at 4:30. I'm done with that....park/sleep/fly direct is where I am at as far as family vacations. Business travel is another topic; I'd never drive out of my way to get to a meeting faster, but my vacations are sacred!

 

[c&ldisneylovers]

We drove down the night before and stayed at the Tage Inn. I think we paid about $100 but got FREE parking and shuttle service to/from the airport. QUOTE]

My travel agent at AAA found this hotel for us. It is about a mile from the airport (right across from McDonalds.) The hotel wasn't anything fancy but was clean, quiet, had a free breakfast, and indoor pool/hot tub/fitness center I didn't go explore any of these though. It reminded me of a Ramada Inn.

 

[snowbunny]

Thanks for all the great information. Now if I can just get that Ding thing to work...installed it but when the ding comes, nothing happens if I click on it. I'm sure it has something to do with my Norton security.