Leaving Friday Southwest (Buffalo) HELP!

[karters*mom]

We are flying out 7:25am on Friday
I have never flown out of buffalo.
Thursday I will check in at 7:25am.
I will print something off correct?

Is park and fly close to the airport? Is it like P&F in Toronto? The shuttle us to the terminal after we park?

We get there, and proceed to the Southwest counter like we would do if flying an airline out of Toronto.

We check in our luggage right?

Then what...proceed through security?

Sorry for the dumb questions. I've flown out of Toronto many times but never out of Buffalo!!

Our flight leaves at 7:25am.
It takes 45min to get to the airport.

My husband wants to leave at 4am!
that should be enough time right??

 

[Sharptooth]

Print off your boarding passes on Thur. at 7;25 am. Park and fly is at airport and they will shuttle you to the terminal. Go to Southwest desk and check in they will take your luggage. Then on to security check. Be at the terminal a minimum of 2 hours before your flight. I also use to fly out ofToronto but we have flown out of Buffalo the last 4 times we have gone toDisney. It is a very small airport compared to Toronto and easy to get around. Have a great holiday.

 

[MECH8T7]

Think of the road around the airport like a horsetrack, with the entrance from the highway on one side, the parking lot in the middle, and the airport on the other side. If you use the "preferred" lot, you will enter the lot off the highway-side of the oval. However, I always circle around to the departure level at the airport and drop off all the passengers and the luggage first. I then go back around the oval to the preferred lot and try to find a parking space in the preferred lot that is close enough to quickly walk back to the airport on foot (the short term parking lot is between the airport and the preferred long term lot).

That way I don't have to worry about hauling my luggage onto the shuttle or wait around for one. Same thing in reverse when we return.

 

[karters*mom]

Print off your boarding passes on Thur. at 7;25 am. Park and fly is at airport and they will shuttle you to the terminal. Go to Southwest desk and check in they will take your luggage. Then on to security check. Be at the terminal a minimum of 2 hours before your flight. I also use to fly out ofToronto but we have flown out of Buffalo the last 4 times we have gone toDisney. It is a very small airport compared to Toronto and easy to get around. Have a great holiday.

Thanks for your info! I will make sure i'm online thursday at 7:20!

 

[karters*mom]

Think of the road around the airport like a horsetrack, with the entrance from the highway on one side, the parking lot in the middle, and the airport on the other side. If you use the "preferred" lot, you will enter the lot off the highway-side of the oval. However, I always circle around to the departure level at the airport and drop off all the passengers and the luggage first. I then go back around the oval to the preferred lot and try to find a parking space in the preferred lot that is close enough to quickly walk back to the airport on foot (the short term parking lot is between the airport and the preferred long term lot).

That way I don't have to worry about hauling my luggage onto the shuttle or wait around for one. Same thing in reverse when we return.

Its that close to the airport. Not like TO where you have to drive from park and fly over to the airport!

 

[Beavertails Queen]

If you are NOT in official airport parking you will have to take the shuttle. I would check online if you are booking at park anf fly to make a reservation - I know of people who have arrived and there has been no room for them to park.
Southwest does online boarding passes. You go online 24hrs in advance and enter your confirmation code/number. You then get your boarding passes and can print them off. Southwest has open seating - how this works is that you will line up in the terminal according to your number on your boarding pass. Then you will enter the plane in order and choose whereever you want to sit.
The process is just like Toronto, check in your luggage at the counter, go through security, proceed to your gate.
I can't tell you what will be enough time to leave home. You should be at the border early enough not to have traffic but you never know.
Personally, I always go over the night before, stay in a hotel, leave my car at the hotel and take the hotel shuttle to the airport. I always fly out of Buffalo and do this. I went to Las Vegas out of Buffalo a few weeks ago and it cost about $25 to stay at the hotel and park for free then to pay for parking alone AND I got a good nights sleep, peace of mind that I would get to the airport in lots of time, and the shuttle that drops you off at the terminal with your luggage. Just something to consider if you haven't thought of it...it might be an option.

 

[mc'smommy]

There is only a few dollars difference to park directly on the airport property as oppose to across the street....

Once you have flown out of Buffalo, I must warn you that you will never fly out of Toronto again....lol

 

[snickerboo]

Soooo much closer Park & Fly to terminal than Pearson. Park right at the airport, like the poster above suggested, as parking there is not that expensive. When we flew from Buffalo, the shuttle came very quickly and was very convenient. Buffalo's a small airport and very easy to navigate. Have a great trip!

 

[karters*mom]

There is only a few dollars difference to park directly on the airport property as oppose to across the street....

Once you have flown out of Buffalo, I must warn you that you will never fly out of Toronto again....lol

where is it better to park..my husband will be pretty ripe at 4am! He won't be too pleased if I make him drive around the block a few times...lol

 

[Yzma and Kronk]

Yes, park directly at the airport parking.

If you are lucky you'll get a spot where you can walk. Otherwise there is a shuttle to take you to the terminal. Very convenient and easy.

Just a bit of a warning. My DH flies out of Buffalo once a week. He says sometimes the line up at security can be really long at that time in the morning. (6am+) You may want to consider an airport hotel overnight that offers free parking. If he has a 6:30am departure, he leaves our house at no later than 3am (we are about l hr 15 minutes door to door to BUF airport) just in case.

And cross at Fort Erie. This is the best way - about 10 minute drive from the bridge.

You'll love BUF airport. Easy, easy, easy!

 

[karters*mom]

Yes, park directly at the airport parking.

If you are lucky you'll get a spot where you can walk. Otherwise there is a shuttle to take you to the terminal. Very convenient and easy.

Just a bit of a warning. My DH flies out of Buffalo once a week. He says sometimes the line up at security can be really long at that time in the morning. (6am+) You may want to consider an airport hotel overnight that offers free parking. If he has a 6:30am departure, he leaves our house at no later than 3am (we are about l hr 15 minutes door to door to BUF airport) just in case.

And cross at Fort Erie. This is the best way - about 10 minute drive from the bridge.

You'll love BUF airport. Easy, easy, easy!

We are 15min tops from the Fort Erie border. Thats where we will cross!
Ok great so no searching down streets around the airport for parking!

 

[Yzma and Kronk]

karters*mom: 15 minutes from Fort Erie - you'll have plenty of time to get to Buffalo by leaving at 4am!!

Have a great trip!

 

[karters*mom]

karters*mom: 15 minutes from Fort Erie - you'll have plenty of time to get to Buffalo by leaving at 4am!!

Have a great trip!

I told my husband that he said he wants to be sure cause you never know about traffic..I said at 4AM????? LOL

 

[TimNDansMom]

We park in the Long-Term A lot at Buffalo Airport. The shuttles are frequent. Just follow the signs as you approach the airport.

Be sure to print off the coupon to save a few dollars: http://www.buffaloairport.com/airport_info/parking_availability.phtml It will ask for an email address and a zip code - will accept a Canadian postal code, too. There is info and a map on the page too.

 

[mombrontrent]

Sorry to hop in here but I have a quick question. We are flying out of Buffalo Thursday at 10:20 am. We live a little less then 3 hours from the Fort Erie border maybe 2 hours 45 min. We plan on leaving home by 5am therefor hitting the border just before 8am. Does this seem like enough time?

 

[karters*mom]

We park in the Long-Term A lot at Buffalo Airport. The shuttles are frequent. Just follow the signs as you approach the airport.

Be sure to print off the coupon to save a few dollars: http://www.buffaloairport.com/airport_info/parking_availability.phtml It will ask for an email address and a zip code - will accept a Canadian postal code, too. There is info and a map on the page too.

ok thanks for the coupon! Sounds like we can't get lost...

 

[dsneygirl]

Sorry to hop in here but I have a quick question. We are flying out of Buffalo Thursday at 10:20 am. We live a little less then 3 hours from the Fort Erie border maybe 2 hours 45 min. We plan on leaving home by 5am therefor hitting the border just before 8am. Does this seem like enough time?

I would consider leaving earlier. You should be at the airport at 8:20am, this is peak time. Especially on a weekday. From the border you are still 20min away and you have to factor in waits, and parking at the airport.

 

[Yzma and Kronk]

I would consider leaving earlier. You should be at the airport at 8:20am, this is peak time. Especially on a weekday. From the border you are still 20min away and you have to factor in waits, and parking at the airport.

I agree.

You should be at the airline checkin at 8:20am. You never know with line up's and security.

 

[mombrontrent]

Thanks, turns out it should only take about 2 hours 15 min to get to the border. I should be at the border by 7:15 so I think that will be good. Leaving in just 8.5 hours!

 

[OatsZoo]

where is it better to park..my husband will be pretty ripe at 4am! He won't be too pleased if I make him drive around the block a few times...lol

You should be good. We left at 4am for a 6:50 flight out of Buffalo and ran into bad fog on the way. With extra security times now a days, I still think you should be good. Sounds like you are from the same area, I am in the Falls, ON side. We had time to grab a coffee and sit for about 1/2 hr-45mins before the flight. Have a great time!