Philly to MCO

[Miffy]

Hi, everyone,

My sister is flying from Philly to MCO at the beginning of May. She usually takes the train down, so she's not familiar with the best airlines or how to shop for the best fares. Can anyone here recommend either (airline or time to buy ticket) for this route at the beginning of May? Nonstop only.

Thanks so much!

 

[TinkTink78]

Southwest is the best out of Philly - but there are also other airlines that fly out of Philly to MCO

 

[PSUGuy]

Southwest is the best out of Philly - but there are also other airlines that fly out of Philly to MCO

This. Good rates, 2 checked bags per passenger, you can be on the ground in MCO 9 - 9:30 AM. If you need a sleep n fly try https://www.parksleephotels.com/, we got the Sheraton Four Points in Nov for $137.00, 9 days parking included and the best shuttle service we ever encountered.

Bill From PA

 

[Miffy]

Thank you, TinkTink78 and Bill from PA! I'm passing the info over to my sister right now.

 

[WishICouldSpeakWhale]

We fly American out of Philly. We used to fly Southwest, but one trip they were not offering any non-stops for the return home. I switched to USAir (now American). I have checked Southwest for a few trips since, but American has always ended up being cheaper and had more choices for flight times. You do have to pay for checked bags on American. American, including the cost of 3 checked bags, was still significantly less than Southwest would have been.

 

[Miffy]

We fly American out of Philly. We used to fly Southwest, but one trip they were not offering any non-stops for the return home. I switched to USAir (now American). I have checked Southwest for a few trips since, but American has always ended up being cheaper and had more choices for flight times. You do have to pay for checked bags on American. American, including the cost of 3 checked bags, was still significantly less than Southwest would have been.

WishICouldSpeakWhale: Thanks. Interestingly, my sister has decided to use American anyway.

 

[Dis703]

I fly mostly Frontier out of Philly. I've booked anywhere from $50 to $100 RT with them. I did use American one way for one trip as well because they were cheaper for the flight down on the date I wanted. Southwest doesn't seem to have many nonstop flights and the cost when we've looked to travel has always been higher. We don't need checked bags for most of our trips so if you do you would need to calculate if the free bags on Southwest are a better deal.

 

[MaleficentRN]

I either do SW or AA. Depends on the departure times. Sometimes I'll take one down and the other back.

 

[jdisnut]

Four airlines fly PHL-MCO: American, Southwest, Frontier and Spirit.

I would avoid the latter two if possible. They are ultra-low-cost airlines, and while they are often cheap, the experience can be unpleasant and they tend not to be as reliable. (Yes, many people have had excellent experiences with Frontier and Spirit, but they are not the norm.)

You'll hear a lot of praise for Southwest on these boards because of the free checked bags. It's a decent option. I personally prefer the legacy carrier, American, because it has more nonstop flights per day and is significantly better at handling irregular operations, considering PHL is one of its hubs and has an enormous operation there.

Good luck!