Indianapolis Airport info

[madge]

it looks like we might be getting the best price for tickets on AirTran or SWA out of Indianapolis this trip....it's not quite 3 hours away, but the price and the flight times outweigh the drive time. (it beats the 13-14 hour drive ANY day )

I am looking for the low-down on the Indianapolis airport--is it a large airport? costs to park? park & fly hotels? any of the tips would be most helpful! Thanks

 

[smart cookie]

here's a site to book park & fly hotels online:


http://www.park-and-fly-hotels.com

 

[Gary M]

Madge, I fly out of Indianapolis International Airport about 15 times a year. It isn't a large airport, but has retail stores and a food court. For most airlines, you can check your baggage at curbside or at the counter inside. Some airlines have automated check-in with electronic tickets. Your checked baggage goes to the inspection machine after you check-in, you do not have to bother taking it to another location yourself. The airport has 4 concourses and going through the metal detectors should be as simple as any airport. To sum it up, it is a very consumer friendly airport and it is easier, in most cases, to fly out of IND than coming back through the airport of your destination.

 

[Gary M]

Madge, you might check the airfare for ATA from IND to MCO. ATA flys non-stop to MCO and has a few different flights a day. www.ata.com

By looking at your countdown clock, it looks like you will be flying out on Sept. 25 and lets say, you return a week later on Oct. 21, you can fly ATA for $131 roundtrip. Good airline with new planes. ATA has assigned seats.

email me if you have any questions. glmerritt@comcast.net

 

[madge]

thanks for the answers I am still checking into the parking situation--I notice there are several tiers of parking. Other than the 3 hour drive, it looks great! for our dates, SWA is offering the best fare & time combination....in case Louisville or Nashville lower fares, we can cancel and rebook without penalty through them

 

[mrsmom]

We fly out of indy all the time, it's alot cheaper than cincy and we use the economy parking lot and we are charged 4.50 a day. never had any problems and have used them about 15 times.
KIM

 

[madge]

We fly out of indy all the time, it's alot cheaper than cincy and we use the economy parking lot and we are charged 4.50 a day. never had any problems and have used them about 15 times.

is there any difference (other than lot location) between the shuttle used at the $4.50 lot vs. the $7.00 lot? We will have quite a bit of stuff, I'm afraid, since we have a toodler. Just the car seat and stroller alone are big headaches, not to mention the suitcase and carry-on bag.....is there any advantage to using one over the other?

 

[NancyIL]

Originally posted by madge
We fly out of indy all the time, it's alot cheaper than cincy and we use the economy parking lot and we are charged 4.50 a day. never had any problems and have used them about 15 times.

is there any difference (other than lot location) between the shuttle used at the $4.50 lot vs. the $7.00 lot? We will have quite a bit of stuff, I'm afraid, since we have a toodler. Just the car seat and stroller alone are big headaches, not to mention the suitcase and carry-on bag.....is there any advantage to using one over the other?

If it were me, I'd have the driver drop off the luggage and other passengers at the terminal and then park the car. No sense dragging your bags from the parking lot.

 

[madge]

If it were me, I'd have the driver drop off the luggage and other passengers at the terminal and then park the car. No sense dragging your bags from the parking lot.

I might have thought of that on my own....but I am sure glad you made that suggestion! thanks!

 

[mrsmom]

I have four kids and we have dh drop us off with the luggage and then takes the shuttle back to airport and then when we come back he goes and get the car after getting our luggage and we just wait for him, It's really easy and never any problems, the parking alot isn't that far.
kim

 

[madge]

Thanks for all the tips! It looks like we will book on SWA out of Indy and go from there.

Mrs. Mom, what part of Cincinnati are you from? We used to live in Northern KY a million years ago Miss the food, but not those prange barrels!

 

[mrsmom]

I gre up near glen este( east side)eastgate mall
But we moved to Indiana for 7 years and just moved back to cincy , iam up near colerain ave now but plan on moving to Mason, or west chester in the next year.what part of Ky are you from?
Kim

 

[madge]

I was born and raised in Maysville (home of the Clooney family )
but now I live an hour south of Louisville. DH and I both went to Northern Ky University, so we are familiar with the Cincinnati area-DH used to work off Spring Grove Ave.

 

[mrsmom]

I know where maysville is. My dd is checking out NKU and UC and OSU. Nice to meet you.
kim

 

[LynnF]

We do the park and fly every year. I always fly ATA out of Indy.
I am staying at the Wellesley Inn and suites this year. Room has two queen beds and a qeen sleeper sofa. Full kitchen too. It was 69.00 for the suite(I was able to see the rooms before I booked) Plus 15.00 to park. Breakfast included, and a shuttle to the airport. little over a mile away. There are several hotels in the airport area. This works out great for us. Our flight is at 8:00am, non-stop. Any questions just ask...

Lynn

 

[madge]

We do the park and fly every year. I always fly ATA out of Indy.

here's a neurotic shuttle question--what do they do about babies that need car seats? I founf a flight schedule on ATA that might actually be better than the one on Southwest, but I just don't know about the baby and the car seat and the shuttle...

help!

edited to add: please someone tell me what the heck is going on in Indy the weekend of September 26-27....I cannot find a room near the airport for less than $200

 

[mrsmom]

As far as the shuttle , i have only seen them put the children on the mothers lap, and that's why i always get dropped off by the outside by curbside check in. ATA is a very good airlines.
I checked and i can't find anything going sept 26-27.I stayed at the radisson hotel at the airport in early May and i got it on priceline for a total of 45.00 a night. I checked wibsites and the cheapest i could get it for was 175.00 , If you think you might want to try this go to www.biddingfortravel.com, there was only two hotels for the airport that you could get ,which the other was Adam's Mark.
The website tells you what people are getting for the hotel. I hope this helps.
Kim

 

[madge]

I checked wibsites and the cheapest i could get it for was 175.00 , If you think you might want to try this go to www.biddingfortravel.com, there was only two hotels for the airport that you could get ,which the other was Adam's Mark.

thanks! I love that site! if I get one of those hotels through priceline can I still use the park and fly?

at least it isn't just me finding high rates for that night....I wonder what's up?

 

[Gary M]

The US Grand Prix will be at the Indy Motor Speedway on Sept. 28. When there is a big auto race in Indy, the hotel rooms are very expensive for the whole weekend of the event.

 

[madge]

The US Grand Prix will be at the Indy Motor Speedway on Sept. 28. When there is a big auto race in Indy, the hotel rooms are very expensive for the whole weekend of the event.

Oh good grief....thanks for the info, Gary. That means they will be high all the way down I-65, too. great, just great......damn race cars, LOLOLOL