Help me get from LGB to SNA after our DLR trip

[Mousequake]

Due to a snafu with a flight being rescheduled, I'm finding myself in the situation of needing to fly into LGB at the beginning of our trip but fly out of SNA on the return flight. The only problem is that I already have a Priceline car rental reservation that can't be changed for pickup/return at LGB.

So my question is: what's the best way to handle this situation? I'm seeing two possible solutions:

1. Drop the car off at SNA before our return flight and pay a "different drop-off location" penalty, which Hertz refuses to tell me the amount of.

2. Drop the car off at LGB then either take a taxi/car service to SNA on the morning of our flight.

I'd appreciate any insight onto what you think the best option is. Price is of course one concert, but convenience also plays a big role too. Dropping off the car at SNA obviously wins in the convenience department. If taxi/car service is the way to go, any recommendations for a good one?

 

[shannonkay]

LGB is the Long Beach airport, right?

So it looks like you've already called to ask if you can return the car to SNA instead?

Well, I would just return it at SNA and pay the penalty. It sounds like otherwise you'd have to go to LGB to drop off the car, come back and still get to SNA. Just going to LGB and back would take a couple hours out of your trip and when you factor in additional transportation to get back from LGB as well as going to SNA, if you're not going straight there... It would just be a huge pain.

 

[Mousequake]

Yeah, LGB is the Long Beach airport. If I go with the 'dropping off at LGB' option, I'd be going straight from LGB to SNA; I wouldn't have to go back to the hotel. We'd basically just drop off the rental at LGB, put our bags in the taxi/town car, and head straight over to SNA for our flight. I soooo want to just drop off at SNA, but not knowing what the penalty will be is freaking me out a bit. I did call to inquire, but they say they can't tell me how much it will cost until I actually pick up the car at the beginning of the trip.

 

[shannonkay]

I'm guessing the penalty varies? Probably depending on where you drop it off. Just remember that the trip to LBG from Disneyland could take an hour and it'll take almost that long to get to SNA from LGB, So I would say you'd need to leave at least 2 hours earlier to drop the car off.

 

[rtfelt]

The only time it would take an hour to get to LGB from DLR is at prime commute time. It's normally only 30 minutes. It's only about 15 minutes from LGB to SNA. We live south of Disneyland, and it takes us 15 minutes to get to SNA and 30 minutes to LGB, and we go right past SNA on our way to LGB.

If I were you I would get as much info as possible about a shuttle and/or taxi, then find out how much the penalty will be when you get your car and make the decision then. I do know there's a shuttle between the 2 airports, but I've never used it personally and don't know anything else.