Flying to Long Beach Airport or LAX?

[pokee99]

Hi,

I am just trying to decide which city to fly to for our trip to Disney. I am thinking Long Beach will be easy, because then we can take a cab for around the same price we'd pay to take a shuttle for the whole family from LAX (and we'd get there A LOT quicker!). I am just concerned that because it's a small airport, if there's any problems with flights, we may not have many alternatives if there's a problem with the plane and they need to get us on another flight (we are flying Alligiant from Bellingham).

Any advice on which airport is cheapest to get to/from and is impacted by traffic the least?

Thanks!

 

[Mommy2PrincessAbby]

We love LGB and SNA... both are clean, and easy in/out... SNA is a bit closer to DL than LGB and will give you more options if you anticipate flight issues... I really dislike LAX--it is dirty and cramped... you'd pretty much have to give me free airfare to get me to fly there again... We're going to LGB again this time...and I guess worse case scenario and our flight is cancelled and there are no more flights out that day towards home, we could take a cab to SNA or LAX and catch a plane there... or heck, turn around and go back to DL and try again the next day!

 

[edit1]

I really like LGB. It's so easy to get in and out of and it's closer to DL than LAX. LAX is soooo busy and congested. I've never flown Allegiant so I don't know what they normally do about delayed flights.

 

[sierranevada]

Definitely LGB. So much easier and closer and much cheaper to get to DLR from the airport.

 

[MickeyManiac]

LGB is so much easier than LAX. We always rent a car. We can get our luggage, our car and be at the hotel in about 45 minutes. Also, love being able to avoid the California freeways. We can always get a great rate on a rental car at LGB. My current reservation works out to be $12/day for a midsize through Costco. Had great luck with Priceline there too.

We did have a problem with a delayed flight a couple of years ago. We were supposed to leave around 7pm but the plane was delayed in Seattle and we didn't end up bording until after midnight. It was pretty boring. The waiting area is pretty small and there really was no place to go, but we survived.
Been back a couple of times since with no problems.

 

[Always Dream]

I just made the same decision - went with SNA on the way in and LGB on the way out.

For me a big part of it was not having to go through LAX - I find security at larger airports much more of a hassle (note LAX is one of the airports testing out the new screening measures ie enhanced patdowns and body scanning machines).

If you don't go through LAX you also don't have anywhere near the concerns about traffic - my understanding is that travel time to/from Anahiem can be very unpredictable.

I figure it's my vacation, so I'll make it as worry-free as possible!

 

[joeysmommy]

We like SNA and LGB
When flying Southwest it's SNA, Jetblue-LGB

I do like the one and only luggage carousel at LGB..no confusion there

We booked a limo to pick us up at LGB and it worked out great since the airport is so tiny. It was the same price as taking 2 different cabs for the 10 of us.

I prefer arriving into LGB rather than departing, that waiting area is SO small!

 

[snikelfrizt]

Can i ask what limo you took from LGB??

 

[joeysmommy]

Can i ask what limo you took from LGB??

Sure! It was Ebube Limo
http://www.ebubelimo.com/

I checked limo.com and did a lot of research on the best prices and they were the best deal in town.
I was a little worried about them showing up etc. but the service was great, driver professional and they even had soda for the kids and champagne for us.

When I first called to book the limo the dispatcher was a little difficult to understand but everything worked out well.

I didn't tell the kids about the limo..i love surprising them.
When we got to LGB i said.."oh man, it's going to be hard to find a taxi with this huge crowd..oh let's just take this limo."
My older son said, "No mom, this limo is for ..Oh my God! Cool!" when he saw the driver with a sign with our last name.

It was a 30 minute ride to Hojo's on Harbor but a cab ride x 2 + tip would have been the equivalent.

 

[snikelfrizt]

Thanks!!!!

 

[Tommy_B]

If you can fly non-stop Vancouver to LGB, I'd do it, but if you have to change planes it might not be worth the hassle, ditto for SNA (John Wayne).

 

[DisneyMomma81]

We LGB!

 

[c&m]

LGB for sure. So easy. One baggage carousel that's steps away from where you land, then steps away are the rental car lots. No need to take shuttles. We usually fly from SEA-LGB, on Alaska Air, sometimes for as low as $59 each way.

In August, we decided to fly from YVR to LAX on West Jet. The flight was great, but when we landed at LAX, I was quickly reminded why we try to never go through LAX - so dirty, so big to navigate through, always under renos. We had to wait for and take the shuttle to our rental car company. Everything seemed to take so long to get through. Also hated having the stress of driving from Anaheim back to LAX. Always worried about traffic/travel time. Less time worries going to LGB.

 

[aristocat65]

We also love LGB. So easy to get in and out of.

One thing to be careful of with LGB though, is that flights often get canceled from the smaller airports if they are not full enough. BOTH times we flew into LGB our return flight was canceled. We got to the airport to check in at LGB and they told us our flight was canceled, gave us seats on a flight out of LAX and gave us taxi vouchers to get us to LAX. (and boy, can those cabbies get to LAX in a hurry when they need to.) After the second time this happened, my husband said never again - too stressful.

Even so, If you have the choice to fly into LGB out of BLI I would take it. I would imagine the airline would take care of you if a flight is cancelled like Alaska did for us.

We are going in February and I have us booked into LAX, even though I really dislike it.
(Keep hoping Alaska will fly into SNA one day from YVR or even better from Bellingham)

 

[AmyPond]

I know you didn't list it but I'm an SNA gal, all the way!