Non-Stop to LAX or One Stop into SNA?

[nolenbelledavis]

Car rental is usually cheaper at LAX. That being said, we're paying more to fly into SNA. It takes HOURS to get through LAX. We also end up at some far off terminal. Then you have to wait to be bussed to the main terminal. Then you have to wait on your bags. Then you have to wait on the bus to take the bus to the rental car agency. Then you have to wait in LA traffic. In contrast to SNA, where you get there, walk a short distance to get your bag and a short distance to get your car and you're at DL 30 minutes later, or whatever. So much easier. They were also so much friendlier at SNA to us. The agents were just angry at LAX.

Also, one time my husband dropped us off at the place where we were supposed to be for our American flight and then went to return the van. I had 4 young kids and two big pieces of luggage and all of our carry-ons. They had changed the check-in gate to an entirely different building, that was like a 20 or 30 minute walk. It was crazy. My husband was in the car rental shuttle and got them to stop as he passed us walking on his way back from returning the car.

 

[sunflare]

Car rental is usually cheaper at LAX.

Absolutely, 100% NOT true. I travel a lot to the area, and I will always choose to go into SNA over LAX, BUR, ONT or LGB because car rentals are almost always at least $10 a day more at the other airports. Sometimes two to three times more. I think it has to do with airport concession fees and city taxes.

 

[nolenbelledavis]

Absolutely, 100% NOT true.

I swear I'm not lying. lol. When I compare, they have literally always been less. However, I get a minivan, maybe that is what is different. Otherwise, I'd love to know your secret, because as you can see from the rest of my post, we are still flying to SNA, despite my cheaper van quote at LAX.

 

[sunflare]

I swear I'm not lying. lol. When I compare, they have literally always been less. However, I get a minivan, maybe that is what is different. Otherwise, I'd love to know your secret, because as you can see from the rest of my post, we are still flying to SNA, despite my cheaper van quote at LAX.

LOL! Yep, that might be true. We usually get an intermediate. The company I use most often is Enterprise... the rest are usually prohibitively expensive as a whole (or are a smaller company, which I don't like because I've had multiple bad experiences with their vehicles - smoke residue, not getting what we asked for, etc.). That might also be the difference in our quotes...I can't do Fox or any of the other LAX off-brands anymore. I just don't have the patience in my old age ;-)

 

[nolenbelledavis]

I only stick with the name brand ones too, just because I'm nervous, about car companies, in general. Our trip from SNA next month, I can't find less than $760 for a van for 11 days. In October we rented a van from Hertz from LAX for $191 for 5 days. I'm hoping something less will pop up!

 

[OneThree]

Booked our flights this AM. We had been eying both a flight into LAX (non-stop down, one stop out) or a layover on both ends for SNA. The SNA flight dropped below $900 total for our flight of four so SNA it is.

 

[Disney_Alli]

I just compared for our trip and had the same results with near identical prices for a one-stop to SNA or a non-stop to LAX and I'm chosing to go with SNA. While the non-stop is traditionally easier the SNA flights get us in earlier and since we take a cab from the airport we'll save a lot of the ride from SNA. Plus our first flight is a quick hop to Vancouver so I'm not too concerned about it.

 

[bumbershoot]

Absolutely, 100% NOT true. I travel a lot to the area, and I will always choose to go into SNA over LAX, BUR, ONT or LGB because car rentals are almost always at least $10 a day more at the other airports. Sometimes two to three times more. I think it has to do with airport concession fees and city taxes.

I have never once had that experience.

The only absolute in rental cars is that there are no absolutes. ALWAYS check prices for your specific trip. Repeatedly.

 

[chateau]

there's a shuttle from SNA too, I believe (can't recall the name)

 

[Babe the Blue Ox]

I have never once had that experience.

The only absolute in rental cars is that there are no absolutes. ALWAYS check prices for your specific trip. Repeatedly.

We're flying into SNA in early June for a week. We booked pretty early, but airfare into SNA was about $100 per person cheaper than LAX and a weekly minivan rental at SNA was less than half price of the same rental at LAX.

It was a no-brainer for us.

 

[nikkislaght]

We are near Seattle, and use either Jetblue or Alaska. mostly do straight through to SNA or Longbeach. couple of times we have done Seatac to Portland and then Seatac to SanFran.. had no problems, but prefer the straight flights.. specially with little kids , and its such a short flight..

 

[OneThree]

We are near Seattle, and use either Jetblue or Alaska. mostly do straight through to SNA or Longbeach. couple of times we have done Seatac to Portland and then Seatac to SanFran.. had no problems, but prefer the straight flights.. specially with little kids , and its such a short flight..

We fly out of Spokane which is why we had been eyeing the Delta flight to LAX since its direct. In the end we stuck with Delta but it became cheaper (by over $500) to have one stop and fly into SNA.

 

[heybets30]

We just flew non-stop Chicago-SNA. Tickets were $30 more per person. Minivan ended up being $100 more than renting through LAX (supply much lower at SNA). We normally fly LAX because there are about 15 non-stops from ORD-LAX each day. one gets cancelled? No problem - hop on the next one. We decided to give SNA another shot - but, with only 2 nonstop flights each day, it made us nervous, wintertime in Chicago and all! If our flight got cancelled, well, who knows. The nice thing? Seriously - 12 minute drive from DLR to SNA at 5:45am Saturday - we had to book a 7am departure to get nonstop. The bad? Pricier, less flight options (At least from Chicago). Rental car prices were heftier for minvans and full-size SUVs than LAX (I was holding a Tahoe at LAX for $297 for the week; at SNA, they wantd $596 and the price never budged). We ended up paying $369 for a minivan - our lowest price we saw at LAX was $260 (all through Costco car rentals - Alamo/Avis only, really). We start off in Lake Elsinore, so SNA cut the trip by 25 miles. We have NEVER not hit traffic on the 91 headed to 15 South. NEVER had an uneventful ride - even at 1/2am when we drove LAX to Lake Elsinore - always traffic, construction, accidents. Even our ride from SNA on the 91E - got stuck in traffic at 9pm for about 25 minutes as we neared 15s. You just have to recognize you will probably hit traffic at some point, and leave plenty of time to get around

Honestly - the return trip at 5:45 am of 12 minutes, being able to drop family next to skycap, take 4 minutes longer to return car, 4 minutes to walk to security - worth every penny more.

Funny think about SNA being so small - seriously, there seem to be WAY more food choices than at LAX (At least LAX American terminal!).