? Southwest from Hartford

[buzzrelly]

Hi everyone, I am not a huge air traveler so I have a question about the flights on Southwest from Hartford to Orlando. Their schedule opened up today but it doesn't look like they are going to offer the 6-7 am non-stop flight to Orlando in October when we are going. Also, there isn't the later flight, around 5-6 pm non-stop back to Hartford. They are offering these flights on Saturdays up through August. So my question is, should I wait to book? Do you think they just haven't listed all of their flights yet or do you think they are going to stop offering those flights? Thanks.

 

[Poohlovr]

They might (or not) be offering them on other days of the week, if you want to look and are able to juggle your days a bit.

But, once SWA releases their schedule, it's generally set. That's why they wait so close to the dates to release them rather than release them at 331 days out like other lines.

 

[BigTigger]

SWA has been cutting back BDL flights to MCO after August for the last few years and will usually only bring some of them back for the winter peak season (DEC to MAR). It's not just BDL though, MHT and PVD have some cuts too.

 

[disadventurer]

Hi. Noticed flights out of ISP (Long Island) were $89 nonstop in April. Wish BDL would pick those prices up!! Think they are competing with Air Tran & Jet Blue in NY markets. Parking is so reasonable at BDL though. No Park, Sleep, Fly at ISP or I would go there.

 

[buzzrelly]

Bummer. Now I am either going to have to go Delta or lose a whole day at WDW as the SW flight doesn't arrive until around 5 pm. Maybe I should fly a day ahead of time? Is there a hotel at the airport that I could stay at? How does that affect ME?

 

[LittleStinkerbelle]

Not sure where in CT you are, but have you looked into JetBlue out of White Plains? Their fares are usually cheaper than SWA's and they have a very early a.m. n/s to MCO, the downside is the parking situation there isn't great so we end up taking a car service. We're often willing to pay more to go out of BDL because the parking situation is so good and so cheap, but this time around the price difference was so big it'll pay for the car service anyway.

 

[kritter]

We too are in CT and I would check out JetBlue too out of WhitePlains we flip-flop back and forth between the two. The down-side to JetBlue is the parking at White Plains so you need to figure that into your savings and the drive there and back.

Southwest, also allows two free bags. JetBlue, only allows one free bag...

 

[pooch]

to BDL to make going to any other airport practical or cost-efficient, literally 10 min away., so the price difference would have to be significant. I will wait, not so patiently, to see if SWA and/or Delta drop their fares for early Sept. I have never paid more than $89 O/W for a flight to MCO and I'm trying not to this year. Last year paid $69 down on Delta w/1 $15 bag fee and a comp upgrade to first class and $79 back on SWA plus $20 in EBCI fees (so worth it!). Right now the difference between SWA & Delta is only $5 per leg and Delta's time are WAAAY better, early morning non-stop out & late evening arrival coming back. DD and I are packers extraordinaire so we would only check 1 bag (yup 1 26" rolling duffle for 2 adult females for a week!!!). Normally check 2 coming back but the second is only a carry-on sized anyway so we could just carry it on!

Waiting, waiting, waiting....

 

[Candlelady]

We were also hoping for that 6am ns to MCO. Instead I opted for a Thursday at 5:20pm flight out of BDL, arriving MCO 8:15pm. Will stay at the hotel in the airport and be on our way early the next morning. Check in at our resort and off to the parks by 9am. Sounds good to me!

Good luck with your decision.

Bummer. Now I am either going to have to go Delta or lose a whole day at WDW as the SW flight doesn't arrive until around 5 pm. Maybe I should fly a day ahead of time? Is there a hotel at the airport that I could stay at? How does that affect ME?

 

[pooch]

R/T from BDL-MCO with great times on Delta dropped from $260 to $228 pp. Still too high for me but better. I also checked last year's info & I didn't book flights until late June for a late Sept trip so I'm telling myself to be patient. But it looks like we're flying Delta this trip. SWA flight times are just too bad.

 

[PCFriar80]

R/T from BDL-MCO with great times on Delta dropped from $260 to $228 pp. Still too high for me but better. I also checked last year's info & I didn't book flights until late June for a late Sept trip so I'm telling myself to be patient. But it looks like we're flying Delta this trip. SWA flight times are just too bad.

Delta is looking better from BDL, even with the $23 bag fee. You get a seat, know where you're sitting and don't have to play the zone game. Or, pay to do good in the zone game. I'm checking 10/15 - 10/22.

 

[cg1200]

SWA has been cutting back BDL flights to MCO after August for the last few years and will usually only bring some of them back for the winter peak season (DEC to MAR). It's not just BDL though, MHT and PVD have some cuts too.

Such a pity. BDL is my favorite airport in the area. I live about 50 minutes away and have flown out of there many times. HPN can't be beat for convenience but BDL is like a real airport. I don't know why they have such lousy deals with the airlines. It's always more expensive to fly out of there than other places.

 

[PCFriar80]

Such a pity. BDL is my favorite airport in the area. I live about 50 minutes away and have flown out of there many times. HPN can't be beat for convenience but BDL is like a real airport. I don't know why they have such lousy deals with the airlines. It's always more expensive to fly out of there than other places.

One other thing to not lose sight of is that it's relatively cheap to park at BDL. So unless you're being dropped off / picked up, it's still a good place to fly from.

 

[zmanandshan]

One other thing to not lose sight of is that it's relatively cheap to park at BDL. So unless you're being dropped off / picked up, it's still a good place to fly from.

Just inquired about the HPN parking situation, and a helpful DISer pointed me to LaQuinta at Armonk. I called them, and you dont have to stay overnight to get in on their $10 per day parking with the shuttle included which runs pretty much round the clock. I will be choosing that option for a stay in OCT. I usually always take BDL, but seems their flight options have become poorer, planes have become smaller, and their terminals have become filthier. I actually switched to Newark for overseas flights. This will be my first shot at HPN.

 

[pooch]

I've never noticed BDL's terminal to be dirty in any way. And this is the first year that flight times have been bad. I love flying in & out of BDL. Easy, breezy, lemon squeezy

 

[buzzrelly]

We are very close to BDL as well (in Newington) plus I could have my ex-DH drop us off at the airport...he works up there anyway and goes up there all the time so it would be easy. I have never noticed any filth there either...it always seems at least as clean as any other airport I've been in.

Has anyone ever stayed at the airport hotel at MCO? Does anyone know how that would work for ME?

 

[pooch]

originally from New Britain! And if you stay at the airport the first night, just give DME the flight info for a flight from the next day (make sense?). Then just show up with your luggage (you'll have to get it yourself) at the DME desk the next morning & off you go!

 

[buzzrelly]

Thanks Pooch!

 

[Rpsemont]

Has anyone ever stayed at the airport hotel at MCO? Does anyone know how that would work for ME?

From what I've read, if you fly in the night before and stay at/near MCO, then you can use ME as long as you take your own luggage. When you make the ME reservation, you just need to find a flight that arrives early into MCO. I think ME doesn't question transportation arrangements too much as long as it's on your check in and check out day of the resorts. I don't think you can fly in the night before and get your bags transported the next morning.

Last year paid $69 down on Delta w/1 $15 bag fee and a comp upgrade to first class and $79 back on SWA plus $20 in EBCI fees (so worth it!).

Good for you if you end up with rates like that again. For last Oct, I think I got as low as $91, for early Feb the lowest was $99, and for Mar it was $114. (all SWA - BDL) I told DH the days of three trips to FL/year are probably gone.
Our Feb trip I didn't end up booking until 3-4 weeks before.

Our preferred airport is BDL, but we've done ALB too - but hate to do that during the winter.

Delta would have to be SIGNIFICANTLY cheaper, because I just love SWA change/refund policy.

 

[cg1200]

Just inquired about the HPN parking situation, and a helpful DISer pointed me to LaQuinta at Armonk. I called them, and you dont have to stay overnight to get in on their $10 per day parking with the shuttle included which runs pretty much round the clock. I will be choosing that option for a stay in OCT. I usually always take BDL, but seems their flight options have become poorer, planes have become smaller, and their terminals have become filthier. I actually switched to Newark for overseas flights. This will be my first shot at HPN.

Good luck with HPN. It has a pathetic terminal but it is 1000x more convenient than the NYC airports so I'll take it. Just make sure you're not expecting much. You'll be lucky to get a seat in the over-crowded waiting room.

I flew out of BDL a few months ago and found it practically deserted. I walked across almost the entire site as the garage parking is the farthest possible distance from the american terminal. I saw like 10 people on the trek. Didn't notice any filth just a lack of people which I rather liked!