Is it really that much better to fly into SNA?

[Aladora]

we are from Canada so southwest and JetBlue don't fly here I believe. I have been looking at last minute travel for prices and there aren't many flights from YVR to SNA coming up. There are lots to LAX though.

If you are going via YVR, you could always drive a bit and go through SEA.

 

[mel2014]

Op here. We want to fly to SNA but it is way more so sorry for confusing some of you. We have 4 kids who would need a car seat or booster seat so hauling them all through security is a complete PITA. I know it is safer for the kids to be in their seats on the plane it's a pain and we feel the risk is minimal. We brought car seats on our last trip when we only had 3 kids so I know what we are dealing with when it comes to them. As for renting seats that is not an option for us because I do not trust that the seats have been treated properly and that they haven't washed the harness which is why we need the DL express. I'm not sure how I feel about hanging out in the middle of the Rd with little kids that long for a bus both flights would be direct flights so comparable in that respect. I don't remember the landing/take off in SNA to be all that bad but I do remember the kids having a hard time with their ears. A large part of me feels like it's totally worth it but then there's the other part of me that thinks that would pay for our AP upgrades. I really hate the idea of going to lax. I feel like I'm picking our hotel all over again. Thanks for all of the input.

How old are your kids? If they're old enough for boosters, have you thought about the Bubble Bum booster seats? Another option for booster-age kids is the Boostapak which is a booster seat plus backpack in one.

 

[disneycat321]

I know this is off topic, but anyone fly into ONT? We have done LAX and SNA but we are flying into ONT next week!

I used to be a SoCal local - ONT is a great, easy airport. I actually looked at this thread to reply that ONT might be a viable option. It's certainly better than flying into LAX! The traffic driving from Ontario to Anaheim will certainly be better than LAX to Anaheim.

 

[SweetAlex]

If you are going via YVR, you could always drive a bit and go through SEA.

Oh definitely do this. We saved tons flying from SEA rather than YVR each time. We always did a Sleep n' Fly deal.

 

[bumbershoot]

I know this is off topic, but anyone fly into ONT? We have done LAX and SNA but we are flying into ONT next week!

Once. Thought I was saving money, but I booked before looking at transportation options. The Super Shuttle pricing situation is totally different than from SNA or LAX, and the way we were arriving and leaving ate up all of the flight savings and more. Sad.

I'm assuming you already have transportation taken care of so that shouldn't be an issue.

Op here. We want to fly to SNA but it is way more so sorry for confusing some of you. We have 4 kids who would need a car seat or booster seat so hauling them all through security is a complete PITA. I know it is safer for the kids to be in their seats on the plane it's a pain and we feel the risk is minimal....

I'm not sure how I feel about hanging out in the middle of the Rd with little kids that long for a bus

It is soooo early for you to be booking flights.

It's safe for the kids to be belted vs unbelted. Belted vs sitting on your lap. Sitting and belted vs lying halfway down towards the floor and squirming trying to avoid the belt. Basically, sitting up and belted is really good on an airplane. Once I felt DS understood what the lap belt was and wasn't going to get up to nonsense, I gate-checked the carseat and never looked back.

But we don't know the ages of your kids, so we don't know if we're talking about 5 year olds or 1 year olds, etc.

You're not really in the middle of the road. Once you decide to go out and wait for the shuttle, you're on an island between the stop-to-pick-up-people cars and the continuing-to-drive-through cars. Since LAX is set up in what I think of as pods, you don't have to
go to one main exit; there are Express stops at each terminal and your baggage will be coming from the carousel in the area you come out into, then you just exit and go to the island when ready.

We've always flown into LAX and personally, I hate that airport. It's so busy, so overcrowded, confusing, and just not a happy place to be. Then you've got to fight to find your luggage, chase your shuttle down, drive through the horrendous traffic around the airport, just to hit the horrendous traffic on the roads. The driving is insane. By the time we get to our hotel, we're all tired, nauseated and grumpy.

I'm bummed that those have been your experiences. The most difficult time I personally have ever had there was when DS's plane was late, it was dark and there was construction, and I couldn't find the Cell Phone Lot. So I had to circle the airport for about 40 minutes. Annoying, but not horrible.

Interesting. We've always had super nice ones at LAX!

With one exception that has been the case for us, too. And the exception didn't involve unpleasantness, just a metal detector that was set on "find even the thought of metal" LOL. It alarmed because of DH's zipper in his cargo shorts and then for my 2" Goody-brand barrette. DH was off getting wanded and they were going to send me off, and they were moving quickly so they were forgetting about DS who was maybe 4 at the time...as I was pointing out that I couldn't go off without him, the lady behind me pointed out my barrette. I was still on the other side of the machine so I took it out, put it in a bin, and walked through without alarming. Whew. But still, no one was rude.

I got through with big scrapbook scissors (they cut out Mickey heads on a border, hard to actually harm anyone), and another time with a big plastic sword and a stormtrooper blaster in our carryons...if anything we've experienced lax TSA officers at LAX.

 

[keltiesmom]

If you are going via YVR, you could always drive a bit and go through SEA.

We flew from sea last time but because we are already 4 hrs from vancouver it is a rely long trip. We have considered it and it was way cheaper last time but Im pretty sure we won't be going that far. We thought about Bellingham but the savings aren't huge and then we would have to switch planes, not the biggest problem to have but something we would pay extra to avoid.

 

[keltiesmom]

How old are your kids? If they're old enough for boosters, have you thought about the Bubble Bum booster seats? Another option for booster-age kids is the Boostapak which is a booster seat plus backpack in one.

our kids will be 8, 5, 3 & 2 when we go so we would need 2 harnessed seats and 2 boosters since our 8yo is a half pint. Bubble bums aren't available in Canada unfortunately but they were an option since I have a friend with a U.S. Post box. We also won't check our seats because of how rough the handlers are with them, we spend a lot on car seats and don't want to have them thrown around and compromise their safety. I suppose if the savings were great enough to go to ONT then we could bring car seats, I just don't want to