PHL Airport

[chrisd596]

Taking the 6:50 am flight out of Phl. Any suggestions on the best time to get there for USAirways flight leaving that early. Also has any one used long term parking. We're going for 2 weeks..........wonder if it's cheaper to use a taxi service or long term parking.

Thanks

chris

 

[kdibattista]

I would get there about 5:00am. We have flown USAir twice since 9/11 and found that 1 1/2 hours - 2 hours is sufficient for early morning flights however October was the last time we flew so I am not sure if any security measures have been changed. I have never used the parking so I really can't comment other then to say that I have heard it is quite expensive!!!!

 

[Cantw8]

Chris,
Are you staying in a hotel the night before the flight?? When we take early am flights, we go down the night before and stay at the Ramada Airport South. There is parking lot on the grounds, I believe it is $7 per day. They will shuttle you from the Ramada to the airport. I find this much cheaper than airport parking and we don't have to get up quite as early to drive ourselves to the airport. I have also seen some postings about the Embassy Suites, while the rooms are pretty expensive, the parking is free. I like going the night before, you never know what could happen in the morning...oversleeping and missing my flight is my biggest fear.

 

[barbeml]

I second Cantw8. Altho we are now driving converts, we always stayed over the night before our early AM flights. We stayed at Airport Hilton. Parking there is free and they run a free shuttle to the airport. On the way back, the shuttle drops you right at your car!

We found that it was more relaxing and cost effective, and there are less expensive hotels than Hilton.

Good luck!

 

[XStAnt]

Last time I flew US Air that early I arrived at the airport at 4:30 am (2 hrs before flight). This was a couple of months after 9/11, when security was tightest. They didn't even open the ticket counters (even the self-service kiosks) until about 5:30 am. I'd aim to get there aroung 5:15 am. If they open the ticket counters earlier, you still have plenty of time to get to the gate since the airport isn't crowded then. If they don't open until 5:30 you haven't been standing in a line for an hour.

As for parking, try the off airport lots on Essington Ave. Winner Airport Valet (at Winner Lincoln/Mercury) has a coupon in the Inquirer for $6.99/day. They will drop you off at your terminal and pick you up on arrival (much more convenient than the airport's long term lots with shuttle busses).
You may also want to consider using Rapid Rover form your home.

 

[scanne]

My family and I are taking the 6:50 flight out of PHL on 8/10. We are staying at the Sheraton Airport hotel the night before. Got a great internet rate of $67.00. I think the parking is between $5 and $7 a day. I'm thinking it's closer to $5, but I can't remember. My DH hates this early am flight, so that is why we're staying at the airport. Also, there are 7 of us travelling, so I think it's easier that all of us will already be there. We're planning on getting to the terminal by 5:30am. I hope to be able to use a kiosk to check us in since we're travelling with a baby and I'm hoping for as little hassle as possible.

So if you can, I recommend staying at the airport the night before! Have a great trip!

 

[barbeml]

scanne--If you have e-tickets, self-check-in at Philly is a breeze. I just did it last week. Good luck!

 

[doombuggy]

When I went to Vegas last year, I stayed at the Fairfield Inn and left the car there, rode the shuttle van they have over, and called them when I got back. The room wasn't expensive, somewhere between $50 - $70 (It went in May 2002). Last October when i went to WDW, I parked my car at one of those off site lots, but i forget the name of it. I have AAA, so it cost me about 449 to park for 6 or 7 days. Shop around! Good luck!

 

[beccasmom]

My advice is to get there very early! I left from Philly on 6/14 for a noon flight and the line was very long and there were few customer service reps there. We waited for over 1.5 hours in line and a few people missed their flights. Many of the e-tickets machines were malfunctioning, hence the problem. But I was less than thrilled with the attitude of the reps. The few that were there were unpleasant. It did little to improve the mood of the people in line or of my opinion of the airline.

If you use the e-ticket machines, it's a breeze. I would think the early morning flight would be less crowded, but my 8:00 am flight from Orlando last week was packed. Security at Philly was fine, though.