Frontier vs JetBlue

[WonderlandisReality]

Looking at two different flight scenarios and seeking input. 1 adult and two school age kids traveling with a pediatric wheelchair.

1. JetBlue or Delta (but probably JetBlue) out of Boston (non stop). 1st morning flight out. 3 hour drive time to and from Boston. Parking approx $400

2. Frontier out of Portland ME. Late night flight night before (non stop). 1 hour drive time to and from Portland. Parking aprox $200.

Even with fees costs are almost identical. Help? Return flight times are almost the same too.

 

[rigs32]

My first thought it that you've got to be able to do better than that on parking. I saved a ton of money parking at Newark airport by looking at third party lots. ($95 versus $200+ for 12 days).

If you fly Frontier, then you need one additional night in a hotel in Orlando, but then you'll have a full day the next day. If you fly JetBlue, then would you need a night in a hotel near Boston? You can get a room for cheaper in Orlando than Boston, I suspect.

 

[StageTek]

Easy; save the $200 and the 3 hour drive and fly Frontier from PWM.

 

[writerguyfl]

Frontier is a smaller airline. They have 78 airplanes serving 88 destination. They tend to have sparse schedules, which makes it difficult for passengers if a flight gets canceled. Looking at their schedule, it appears that they only fly between Portland and Orlando on Sundays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays. On each of those days, there are only two flights (one nonstop and another with a connection).

In contrast, JetBlue has 243 airplanes serving 102 destinations. More planes means it's easier to find a replacement aircraft (or crew member) if there are problems. More importantly, Boston is a focus city (also known as a hub) for the airline. They offer 5 nonstop flights between Boston and Orlando and another 26 itineraries with a connection.

Play it safe and go with JetBlue. If your Frontier flight gets canceled, you'll have to wait two or three days for the next one. If your JetBlue flight gets canceled, there's a very high probability that the airline will still get you to Orlando that same day.

 

[Kbate]

I am flying Jet Blue out of Portland and shopped around on parking after I was shocked about the cost. I ended up finding a stay and fly package at the Ramada for about $109 that includes 1 night stay and parking while I am gone and airport transfers.

 

[Donna M]

If you have an early flight out of Boston, I would stay overnight and see if you can get a hotel that offers free parking. I would be nervous about plane problems and not getting out of Portland.

 

[Dis703]

I'd go with Frontier in a heartbeat to avoid a 3 hour drive to the airport. Last couple trips we went with an evening flight and checked into the hotel so we had the entire next day in the parks. It worked well for us.

And FWIW we fly Frontier all the time and really like them.

 

[Hopefully]

Check out Preflight Parking for Logan. It should be far less than $400 and their service is great.
I definitely would not fly Frontier

 

[ClapYourHands]

Jet Blue will likely be a more pleasant experience. Their planes are more upgraded, so everyone gets a seatback screen, and even the cheapest tickets allow for at least a carryon plus personal item. Frontier is quite stripped down, and will nickel and dime you if you want to bring anything other than a personal item and sit in a randomly assigned seat.

I think PP is right to suggest perhaps an overnight at a Logan-area hotel would be good. You don't have to get up in the middle of the night to make the first flight, and you can probably park your car there for less than it costs to park at the airport. If you fly the last flight out of Portland, you risk being SOL if there's some kind of problem, and a late night flight means getting in super late to the hotel, which is stressful, especially with two young children. An early day flight would allow you to be rested and go right to the parks when you get there, and on your return, that day flight means you can easily pick up your car and drive home in daylight.

 

[nkereina]

With a 3 hour drive and an early morning flight out, have you looked into the option of booking an airport hotel the night before? I live in a smaller city than Boston but even around here, there are hotels that will allow you to leave your car parked there (often for free) if you stay with them. They also provide an airport shuttle. My vote leans towards the JetBlue flight simply because they are more reliable than Frontier.

 

[Arielfan98]

Yeah, not to be impolite, but I agree with others. Play it safe with JetBlue and find a better parking deal. I would even look into having someone drive you guys whether it be a family friend who's looking to make $$, or an uber driver if possible. You'll have to see which deal is the cheapest. Often 3rd party parking lots will offer good deals if you search on the web with a complimentary shuttle to the airport. Good luck!