How far do you drive to catch your flights?

[bankr63]

The furthest I WANT to drive is about 25 minutes to the Ottawa Airport. I'll pay a fair bit more for a Friday evening (leaving right after school's out) flight out of Ottawa if it gets me to MCO on Friday night so I have all day Saturday to play. I figure my vacation costs are about $800-$1000/day for our family of four - might as well get as much enjoyment time on the ground as possible!

I have driven to Montreal (2 hrs) for flights a couple of times because YOW direct flights were booked, and only early flights from YYZ/YUL with connections. In that case I'll drive and stay over a night (with free parking), rather than get up at some gawdawful time Saturday morning to try to get a connecting flight.

What I hate about not getting to MCO until sometime Saturday is that most of the day is burnt by the time you get there, check-in, unpack, stock-up etc. I really feel I'm losing out if I'm not maximizing my vacation time, and I'm willing to pay for that. So again, for me it's earliest arrival possible, price be danged!

For those of you who HAVE to drive 5+ hours to get to the nearest airport, my condolences! If that was me, I'd move. (of course I'd move to Orlando if I had an option...)

 

[thr33boys]

Driving 3 hours to Syracuse because we got an amazing rate for the 5 of us. $175US return.

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Driving 3 hours to Syracuse because we got an amazing rate for the 5 of us. $175US return.

That's an fantastic price. Our dates for August are $436 pp return .

 

[yayasue]

Thank you everyone!

Last year I was able to get some tickets from Burlington with United for 1300$ 5 of us. I was hoping for similar prices this year but it doesn't see to want to go down.

I can get tickets out of Boston for the 5 of us total 1400 RT. That's a good price. 280$ each. This is the option I am considering right now.

I have checked Albany but right now prices are not much different then Burlington.

I keep checking and hoping for some Black Friday/Cyber Monday deals.

Next week I need to make a decision on this. You have all been very helpful!

Have you considered Southwest out of Albany NY? They have some good prices right now and many non-stop flights to Orlando.

I keep checking but right now Southwest gives me 2100$ for 5 not supper good.

Buffalo which is a 6hr drive gives me 1250$.

I feel like I'm on deal or no deal! lol

 

[yayasue]

I am also in Montreal, and was looking at these options just this morning. YUL-Mco is upwards of 560$ whether on Air Canada (direct) or on Delta (with a US connection). Alb-Mco on SW is still ridiculously high (422$) considering we'd have to drive 3.5 hrs and pay for parking. Another 40 mins drive and we could leave from Manchester NH and get the round trip for 317$. Plus parking, plus stress if a snow storm comes through.

Is it worth it? Not sure...it's what I'm trying to decide right now. In the past I've been able to get something out of YUL for under 400$. It just hasn't happened this year, and I've been checking since April! I just might cancel the trip this year. fP+ is making Disney this year even less attractive

Yeah I have been checking for the past month and it hasn't gone down. I've flown 3 times in the past 3 years an the most I paid was 1500$ for our 5 tickets. I can't bring myself to pay 2000$+.

Best prices so far are out of Boston..I too am worried about the Snow. We leave Feb 26th so we still risk snow storms. Plus leaving from somewhere that far means I'd want to sleep there the night before to ensure we don't miss our flights.. It's a daily battle on what to do!!

 

[lisaviolet]

I either drive 2 hours to BUF or 4.5/5 to PIT.

Lately, I've done PIT more often. Why? It just seems that flights out of there stay low AND you can often get some great prices last minute as well. And tons of direct options.

However, last trip we hit a major storm and it was no fun at all. BUF actually closed on that day and PIT stayed open so you never know. But no fun with that kind of weather.

I've also flown out of Long Island, NY (9 hours). But that was so that I could tag on NYE in NYE onto WDW. Also, I had a place to sleep and park for free.

 

[dsneygirl]

45 minutes to Toronto. We flew once from Detroit (a 4 hour drive), but that was only because we are Tiger fans and caught a game the night before we left. After flying from LA for 5 hours, and then driving for 4 hours, we vowed we would NEVER do that again. I understand that you can save a lot of money by flying from Buffalo or Detroit to Orlando, but by the time I got to Buffalo, I could BE in Orlando! No thank you... I'd rather pay more, and drive less. I can't believe some of you driving 9, 10, 12 hours to an airport! If I was driving that long, I'd just drive to Florida!

We're 45 min from Pearson too but then you need 2-3 hours ahead of your flight so total time almost 4 hours.

90min to Buffalo +90min ahead of flight, total time 3 hours. Plus I can fill my tank for $20 less.

 

[disneymath]

Unfortunately not everyone lives 45 minutes from a major hub. For those in more remote locations, the choices are probably something like this: 1. Drive maybe 2-4 hours or more to the closest airport, then pay a mint for indirect flights that might include long layovers. Total travel time could easily be in the range of 10-12 hours, maybe more. 2. Drive 6-8+ hours to an airport that offers reasonably priced direct flights. Total travel time is probably still in the range of 10-12 hours, at a substantially lower cost. 3. Drive 30+ hours to Orlando. Each way. Maybe with 2 or 3 bored, screaming kids in the backseat. None of the options are especially palatable, but I can see door number 2 being the lesser evil for many, especially where multiple kids are involved.

Wish there was a like button!

This is us, except we do have a small municipal airport in town ... still need to pay a pretty penny for the "flying tin can" connection to Pearson ... which is the only major hub with direct flights. (True of many more remote Ontario communities.) To access YOW, YUL, etc., we have to connect through TO.

 

[Lizard Valley]

Yeah I have been checking for the past month and it hasn't gone down. I've flown 3 times in the past 3 years an the most I paid was 1500$ for our 5 tickets. I can't bring myself to pay 2000$+.

Best prices so far are out of Boston..I too am worried about the Snow. We leave Feb 26th so we still risk snow storms. Plus leaving from somewhere that far means I'd want to sleep there the night before to ensure we don't miss our flights.. It's a daily battle on what to do!!

We'll be following each other down the highway, lol! I'm also looking at leaving the 26th...looking for a later flight so that I have lots of time to do the drive and still be at the airport early. Wherever "there" will be! I can decide to drive the night before (after school) if the weather looks iffy. Backup is to fly early the 27th and drive in the night before. When is your return? I'd really like a flight on Sat March 8th, and I know that I'll be paying extra for a weekend flight. If I was willing to come back on Monday the 10th, prices would be significantly lower...

 

[maplevale]

We are in Kingston, Ontario. While we have an airport it is a little one. We are pretty lucky to have a less then 3 hour drive to Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto or Syracuse. And extra hour will get you to Rochester, Buffalo or maybe something in upstate VT/NH?

'Worth' it is such a loaded question. We often fly out of T.O because my parents live there and we don't pay for an hotel/taxi/parking/exchange/baggage check etc. So if it's within a few hundred $$ we will do that. Also depends on the vacation days... an extra day off work for DH and I is several hundred $$.

This year we are flying (direct - the only way I will go) from Syracuse and got nicely timed flights to avoid the hotels.

 

[iceprincesskcl]

We are in Kingston, Ontario. While we have an airport it is a little one. We are pretty lucky to have a less then 3 hour drive to Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto or Syracuse. And extra hour will get you to Rochester, Buffalo or maybe something in upstate VT/NH? 'Worth' it is such a loaded question. We often fly out of T.O because my parents live there and we don't pay for an hotel/taxi/parking/exchange/baggage check etc. So if it's within a few hundred $$ we will do that. Also depends on the vacation days... an extra day off work for DH and I is several hundred $$. This year we are flying (direct - the only way I will go) from Syracuse and got nicely timed flights to avoid the hotels.

I don't know about anyone else but I find the flights in Syracuse while convenient are going up in price and so hard to find a direct flight out!

We are pretty particular about airlines we fly now with bad experiences in the past. No more united, they lost our luggage last May and had NO IDEA where it was, and they were absolutely no help in doing anything about it

For our trip we found a better deal out of toronto, which to me was surprising!!!!

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

I don't know about anyone else but I find the flights in Syracuse while convenient are going up in price and so hard to find a direct flight out!

For our trip we found a better deal out of toronto, which to me was surprising!!!!

We are finding the same thing. One direct flight to Orlando, one direct flight home to SYR. And much higher prices for August 2014 in comparison to the same weeks in 2013 and 2012.

 

[yayasue]

We'll be following each other down the highway, lol! I'm also looking at leaving the 26th...looking for a later flight so that I have lots of time to do the drive and still be at the airport early. Wherever "there" will be! I can decide to drive the night before (after school) if the weather looks iffy. Backup is to fly early the 27th and drive in the night before. When is your return? I'd really like a flight on Sat March 8th, and I know that I'll be paying extra for a weekend flight. If I was willing to come back on Monday the 10th, prices would be significantly lower...

We will cross paths! lol We are looking at the 26th with a return flight on March 8th as well. We are cruising and coming back on the 8th.

How many of you are flying out? We are 5 so I need the best deal possible! My husband says if we get no deal from here Tuesday then we are booking with Jetblue out of Boston. If we do book from Boston we will be driving there on the 25th and staying the night. I would be too scared to miss the flights. We would book a Park and Fly Hotel.

 

[pigletto]

We've always managed to find a good price out of Buffalo. It's about 30-45 minutes from our door to the airport, depending on border crossing waits. And I agree with Gina .. the small airport is about 100 times more relaxing and less stressful than Pearson.

 

[caisland]

45 minutes to Toronto. We flew once from Detroit (a 4 hour drive), but that was only because we are Tiger fans and caught a game the night before we left. After flying from LA for 5 hours, and then driving for 4 hours, we vowed we would NEVER do that again. I understand that you can save a lot of money by flying from Buffalo or Detroit to Orlando, but by the time I got to Buffalo, I could BE in Orlando! No thank you... I'd rather pay more, and drive less. I can't believe some of you driving 9, 10, 12 hours to an airport! If I was driving that long, I'd just drive to Florida!

Actually did drive in 93 and 2006. Much prefer a "short 10 hour drive" and cheap flights.
Driving the whole way is like 31-32 hours of driving over 3 -3 1/2 days each way. Wastes way too much Disney Time!!!

 

[disneymath]

Actually did drive in 93 and 2006. Much prefer a "short 10 hour drive" and cheap flights. Driving the whole way is like 31-32 hours of driving over 3 -3 1/2 days each way. Wastes way too much Disney Time!!!

We've done the long haul all the way to Orlando too, and I have to agree about preferring the "shorter 11 hour drive" option.

 

[Lizard Valley]

We will cross paths! lol We are looking at the 26th with a return flight on March 8th as well. We are cruising and coming back on the 8th.

How many of you are flying out? We are 5 so I need the best deal possible! My husband says if we get no deal from here Tuesday then we are booking with Jetblue out of Boston. If we do book from Boston we will be driving there on the 25th and staying the night. I would be too scared to miss the flights. We would book a Park and Fly Hotel.

Cruise: 7 night Fantasy ? That's what we're going down for...maybe we'll be following each other down the highway, be on the same flights, and be in cabins next door to each other! There will be 4 of us - me and DS14, DS11, DS7. Right now hubby is booked to go too, but not sure if he is committed to going.

I will have to commit to something very shortly too, because I would need to cancel the cruise by next week if I don't find reasonable airfare.

 

[caisland]

We've done the long haul all the way to Orlando too, and I have to agree about preferring the "shorter 11 hour drive" option.

Looks like you preferred August heat too!
We were probably there at the same time in 2006, 2008, 2009 and 2012!

 

[yayasue]

Cruise: 7 night Fantasy ? That's what we're going down for...maybe we'll be following each other down the highway, be on the same flights, and be in cabins next door to each other! There will be 4 of us - me and DS14, DS11, DS7. Right now hubby is booked to go too, but not sure if he is committed to going.

I will have to commit to something very shortly too, because I would need to cancel the cruise by next week if I don't find reasonable airfare.

Us too! We must be on the same cruise!! Western Carribean March 1-8?

 

[The Lorax]

Us too! We must be on the same cruise!! Western Carribean March 1-8?

Cruise: 7 night Fantasy ? That's what we're going down for...maybe we'll be following each other down the highway, be on the same flights, and be in cabins next door to each other! There will be 4 of us - me and DS14, DS11, DS7. Right now hubby is booked to go too, but not sure if he is committed to going.

I will have to commit to something very shortly too, because I would need to cancel the cruise by next week if I don't find reasonable airfare.

If you are on the Fantasy on March 1 you might want to check out the Cruise Meet Thread March 1, 2014Disney Fantasy Western Cruise Meet Thread