Cheapest Airlines from DTW or FNT, Michigan?

[Blessed_wth_Triplets]

Does anyone know when the SW/Airtran merger will come in effect?

 

[Colleen27]

I'm just crossing my fingers that SW doesn't cut the AT direct flights. I remember when SW had daily direct flights out of DTW to MCO.

My understanding of the merger is that one of the reasons behind it is to give SW more access to airports where they are only a minor presence, so I don't think we'll see routes cut. From the original press release:

"It offers Customers more low-fare destinations as we extend our network and diversify into new markets, including significant opportunities to and from Atlanta, the busiest airport in the U.S. and the largest domestic market we do not serve, as well as Washington, D.C. via Ronald Reagan National Airport. The acquisition also allows us to expand our presence in key markets, like New York LaGuardia, Boston Logan, and Baltimore/Washington. It presents us the opportunity to extend our service to many smaller domestic cities that we don’t serve today, and provides access to key near-international leisure markets in the Caribbean and Mexico."

Detroit isn't specifically mentioned, but like the cities that are it is a hub for a major carrier where the discount airlines have little presence so I think the same principles/goals will apply to SW's acquisition of Airtran's Detroit routes.

Right now the merger is expected to be approved in the 2nd quarter of this year, so we'll see before too much longer.

 

[airplanegod]

Just a word of warning to all of you. Please do NOT fly Spirit. I have never flown them, but I know they are the American equivalent to Ryanair or easyjet. Their prices might seem nice but don't be brainwashed. You'll end up paying more after fees and get less services than on any other airline (including legacy ones).

 

[Colleen27]

Just a word of warning to all of you. Please do NOT fly Spirit. I have never flown them, but I know they are the American equivalent to Ryanair or easyjet. Their prices might seem nice but don't be brainwashed. You'll end up paying more after fees and get less services than on any other airline (including legacy ones).

That isn't always the case. It may be true sometimes, even most of the time, but it is possible to get Spirit fares that are just that much cheaper that even with the fees they work out to be the best. We got our airfare for our upcoming trip $560 cheaper (total) than the next-cheapest fare I could find. Even after the $20 club trial, $108 in bag fees, and $80 in seat-selection fees, we're coming out $350 ahead.

You do have to be careful booking Spirit to take all the fees into account, but sometimes they still work out to be cheapest in the end.

 

[maxiesmom]

What about allegiant out of Grand Rapids? I to have booked flights on Airtran for March break this year, at $89, and they went down to $72 at one point, and i got a credit! I booked this back in Sept though!

Sometime soon Allegiant is reverting back to Sanford as the destination airport in Florida. Also, they are already known here for cancelling flights and stranding their passengers for a day or two. That is a bad thing about smaller airlines, no back up planes to quickly throw you on.

 

[Sandi]

You might also consider Sun Country out of Lansing. One of my colleagues and his family flew to Orlando on Sun Country a couple of weeks ago. It is a direct, non-stop flight and he was happy with the price, etc. Their scheduling is similar to Allegiant's (only certain days of the week and one flight down and back on those days).

Just thought I'd throw out that option, too.

 

[KelnRon]

Just a word of warning to all of you. Please do NOT fly Spirit. I have never flown them, but I know they are the American equivalent to Ryanair or easyjet. Their prices might seem nice but don't be brainwashed. You'll end up paying more after fees and get less services than on any other airline (including legacy ones).

<sigh> Spirit is not that horrible. Yes, they are cheap, yes there are no frills and yes the extra fee's are super annoying! We always fly spirit thanks to their low fares. For a family of 6 flying can get very costly. My husband and I just flew them to Cancun in November and they were great. B/C we are $9 fare members our luggage was $20 each/each way. However, our tickets were only $43 + fee's!!! I'm positive you can't find anything cheaper!

Right now Spirit has Tues/Wed to MCO for $54 & $44 to TPA. (Out of DTW)

We have flew to LAS a few years back for -$9!!! Yes negative!! So yes, they get bad press and the planes aren't the cleanest all the time, I really have no complaints w/ service and we always arrive on time and safely. I just can't beat their fares. We never pay for assigned sitting and always get to sit together. Sometimes I call 24 hours in advance and other times we get our sets at the airport when checking in.

We like to fly Allegiant out of TOL b/c it's closest to us. I've had great experience w/ them also. It is always a fun flight to FL! They make it very memorable!

 

[KelnRon]

We used to fly Southwest, but they no longer do non-stops...a must for us. We've done Airtran twice now, but with the baggage fees and seats fees...yikes! It doesn't end up being such a great deal. Is there anyone else I'm forgetting??

When are you leaving? We just bought 9 tickets this morning on Spirit from DTW for $44 each way to MCO! Price went down $10 each way this morning so we jumped on it! We are leaving May 31st. $125 each is what the final price came to!

 

[Blessed_wth_Triplets]

Wow! Saw those fares...I'd have to switch my dates a little. hmmm...also...looks like to get the $44 each way I have to join the $9 fare club? How much is that...is it worth it? Honestly, I'm a bit nervous to book Spirit...just heard so much bad stuff?? Advice?....

 

[Blessed_wth_Triplets]

so there are no seat fees?? I'm seriously considering changing our dates to maybe make this work?!

 

[Blessed_wth_Triplets]

ugghh...forget it...they aren't nonstops

 

[eyeheartgoofy]

...

 

[KelnRon]

ugghh...forget it...they aren't nonstops

Just recently they started this 1 or 2 stops from DTW. Strange thing is though, it changes daily. We wanted to fly out on May 31st for $44 and there was a stop, the next day no stop. Luckily we booked b/c now the $44 fares are $119! If you find them this cheap you need to jump on them immediately.

As for the $9 fare club being worth it, we fly 1 or 2 times a year so to us it is worth it. I've been a member for several years. It is $59.99 a year. I remember it being $9 then $29. I really hope it doesn't go higher then $59!

 

[Blessed_wth_Triplets]

For those that have flown Airtran....is Detroit that much worse than Flint? We have always flown out of Flint...but I found Detroit to be cheaper for our days...a $190 savings total! Problem is the departing flight to MCO is at 11:30 a.m. and the flight coming home leaves at 3:00 p.m.....so we loose those half days ....but $190 is a large savings....hmmm....what would you do?

 

[peemagg]

We just flew out of DTW for the first time last week on Airtran. We got flights for $59 each way. We prefer Flint, but out of Detroit wasn't that bad. The one thing that I found was that parking in Detroit is a lot harder and it is harder getting in and out of the airport. It also costs so much more to park at Detroit. We always figure that in when trying to decide which airport to fly out of. It cost us $90 for parking this past week. It would have only cost about $30 in Flint, but at the time, DTW's flights were a lot cheaper than Flint, so we went with them.

I know that there is the Qwik park close to DTW, but we ran into an issue that forced us to park in the Blue Deck. I am handicapped and the shuttle to and from the Qwik park is not handicapped accessible. Their answer to this problem was to drive to their parking lot and then one of them would drive us back in our vehicle and park it for us. I don't think so!!! There is no way that some stranger is going to have the keys to my car for a week plus!!!! Who knows what we would have found when we got back!

 

[Sandi]

For those that have flown Airtran....is Detroit that much worse than Flint? We have always flown out of Flint...but I found Detroit to be cheaper for our days...a $190 savings total! Problem is the departing flight to MCO is at 11:30 a.m. and the flight coming home leaves at 3:00 p.m.....so we loose those half days ....but $190 is a large savings....hmmm....what would you do?

Make sure you factor in the mileage and parking so you're doing a true comparison. Parking is more expensive for DTW than for Bishop. If you use an off-site parking lot, you can find coupons for rates that are about $8 per day. I think at Bishop you're looking at $5/day.

Airtran uses the North terminal at DTW. I think they renovated that terminal not too long ago.

Personally, time at Disney has some value to me and, if it is easier to fly from Flint than Detroit, for $200 I'd fly out of Flint for the ease and the extra time.

 

[Blessed_wth_Triplets]

We just flew out of DTW for the first time last week on Airtran. We got flights for $59 each way. We prefer Flint, but out of Detroit wasn't that bad. The one thing that I found was that parking in Detroit is a lot harder and it is harder getting in and out of the airport. It also costs so much more to park at Detroit. We always figure that in when trying to decide which airport to fly out of. It cost us $90 for parking this past week. It would have only cost about $30 in Flint, but at the time, DTW's flights were a lot cheaper than Flint, so we went with them.

I know that there is the Qwik park close to DTW, but we ran into an issue that forced us to park in the Blue Deck. I am handicapped and the shuttle to and from the Qwik park is not handicapped accessible. Their answer to this problem was to drive to their parking lot and then one of them would drive us back in our vehicle and park it for us. I don't think so!!! There is no way that some stranger is going to have the keys to my car for a week plus!!!! Who knows what we would have found when we got back!

WOW! $59 each way...what a steal?!? I'm wondering if I should hold out...it's $79 each way now....I'm just worried about it going up? How far in advance/which days of the week did you travel?

 

[Colleen27]

The north terminal at DTW isn't bad at all in our experience, but the lines at security can be a bit on the slow side since it is mostly discount/family traveler going out of that terminal.

As others have pointed out you'll pay about twice as much for parking at DTW as at FNT so make sure you're figuring that into your math, as well as gas/mileage if DTW is a longer drive. It may turn out that the bottom line savings isn't worth the less attractive flight times.

 

[Blessed_wth_Triplets]

thanks for the help...but even with parking $190 is still a big saving to us! Looks like we'll be dealing with Detroit this time!...but $79 each way sounds good to me!

 

[peemagg]

If the price does go down, just call Airtran and ask for a credit. You can then use this for another flight, or we used it to upgrade to business class. You could even use it towards the cost of the checked bags.

We originally booked at $72 and $82, but a few weeks before we left, they dropped to the $59. It gave us a credit of around $63.