Terrible flight prices - Alaska

[kikismom]

I am struggling with flight prices. We prefer Alaska as we are members and they have nonstop from So Cal to Seattle. I am a very nervous flier and really need non-stop.

Here are the prices I'm looking at right now. We have half a day in the park and would like to fly out to be home by about 8 but this doesn't look good. They are all on a Wednesday.

LAX - SEA 3:50 pm to 6:46 pm $179 each
SNA - SEA 2:50 pm to 5:50 pm $269 each

LAX - SEA 6:10 pm to 9:07 pm $139 each
SNA - SEA 5:50 pm to 8:47 pm $219 each

Obviously I would much rather fly out of SNA, I already booked our flight down because flights down were fine. However this is a huge price difference to pay for three people. I also will upgrade to premium for a additional cost. We do have TSA precheck as well.

Has anyone taxied or ubered to LAX recently? What was the price like? I'm guessing it wasn't more than the $240-$270 difference that flying out of LAX makes. Also about how long did it take? We are taking Lansky's to the park from SNA to utilize the grocery stop but will just Uber or taxi to the airport. The girls have school the following morning and I we live an hour and half from the airport. I was hoping for one of the earlier flights but geez Louise these prices!! What would you do?

 

[crystal1313]

We just flex into LAX on 8/4. On the way to Anaheim, we used MidWilshuttle. They were awesome! They said about 45 min to Anaheim but I think it was more like 35 since we didn’t hit any traffic. Price was $125 and we tipped the driver cash.

On the way home we asked bell services to get us a flat rate taxi from the Grand Californian. It was the same price as the shuttle. $125 flat rate. Also tipped the driver. It was also quicker than 45 min as there wasn’t any traffic.

Totally feel you in flights. We really wanted to fly in and out of SNA. But it was SO much more money we could not justify it. Even with the taxi and shuttle fees, we still saved money going into LAX.

 

[pharmama]

FWIW, I know you said you prefer Alaska but Delta appears to have 3 nonstop flights from SNA to SEA on Wednesdays, at least this fall (I'm not sure what your actual dates are... I don't see Alaska fares as high as you're citing for this fall either so I'm guessing farther out?). Fares this fall seem to be around $109 for Delta.

 

[Cal-Pie]

On the way to Anaheim, we used MidWilshuttle. They were awesome!

Good to hear another great Midwil review! We have them booked for our next trip, $90 each way from LGB.

 

[kikismom]

FWIW, I know you said you prefer Alaska but Delta appears to have 3 nonstop flights from SNA to SEA on Wednesdays, at least this fall (I'm not sure what your actual dates are... I don't see Alaska fares as high as you're citing for this fall either so I'm guessing farther out?). Fares this fall seem to be around $109 for Delta.

It's December 7th. I never book this far out. I'm normally a 6 week out booker but I want to sit premium and have two minors with me that need to sit together. Prices were lower a few weeks ago but they just keep creeping up and up. I'll check out Delta.

 

[dina444444]

It's December 7th. I never book this far out. I'm normally a 6 week out booker but I want to sit premium and have two minors with me that need to sit together. Prices were lower a few weeks ago but they just keep creeping up and up. I'll check out Delta.

It's still too early for December if you didn't buy months ago. I am going to wdw in December and I haven't bought my airfare yet since it's sitting super high for flights that aren't even half sold yet.

 

[crystal1313]

Good to hear another great Midwil review! We have them booked for our next trip, $90 each way from LGB.

Yeah!! We just moved and I’m not used to flying to DL and I totally dropped the ball booking a shuttle. I text Midwil the night before our flight and they got me all booked. Lol. I was impressed. They were actually the only place that got back to me. And a reasonable price too. Plus our driver was really sweet and it looked like a van that you would share with others, but it was just my family in there. I would use them again.

 

[limace]

$90 pp for shuttle? I’d pay the extra and fly out of SNA-so much simpler and you’ll lose much less of your day.

 

[Cal-Pie]

$90 pp for shuttle? I’d pay the extra and fly out of SNA-so much simpler and you’ll lose much less of your day.

$90 private shuttle for my group. $180 roundtrip. Flying into SNA is not an option from my departure airport. LGB is only 15ish minutes farther from DL then SNA (assuming no major traffic hold ups on either route), so I don't think I'll lose much more of my day.

 

[Living42Day]

Ubering is tricky. It can either be really cheap or super pricey and it tends to fluctuate. LAX is not a bad airport, but it's the ground transportation that breaks it.

 

[limace]

$90 private shuttle for my group. $180 roundtrip. Flying into SNA is not an option from my departure airport. LGB is only 15ish minutes farther from DL then SNA (assuming no major traffic hold ups on either route), so I don't think I'll lose much more of my day.

I was talking to the OP. But didn’t realize your price was total not PP.

 

[GeneralTso]

Check Delta!
I'm in Seattle as well and have found Delta coming in hot competing with Alaska. They really want that Seattle business!

 

[kikismom]

Check Delta!
I'm in Seattle as well and have found Delta coming in hot competing with Alaska. They really want that Seattle business!

How are they with delays and cancellations? I don't follow anyone except Alaskan so I am way out of the loop.

 

[alisonleigh21]

Pre-pandemic it was dirt cheap to fly from PDX to LAX (like $50) and a couple of hundred tops to fly into SNA with Alaska. There were also direct flights from PDX to LGB. Now it's crazy expensive to fly into SNA (double or triple the price to fly into LAX or BUR). Delta ends up being cheaper for us than Alaska and we had a great experience with Delta in March! However, I feel hesitant to book them in the future because they've been in the news quite a bit for delays and cancellations.

 

[kikismom]

Pre-pandemic it was dirt cheap to fly from PDX to LAX (like $50) and a couple of hundred tops to fly into SNA with Alaska. There were also direct flights from PDX to LGB. Now it's crazy expensive to fly into SNA (double or triple the price to fly into LAX or BUR). Delta ends up being cheaper for us than Alaska and we had a great experience with Delta in March! However, I feel hesitant to book them in the future because they've been in the news quite a bit for delays and cancellations.

This is where I'm at. I've always gotten super cheap airfare through Alaska from Seattle or Portland. I'm going to wait a month or so and see if the SEA to SNA goes down. If it doesn't I'll book into LAX.

 

[alisonleigh21]

This is where I'm at. I've always gotten super cheap airfare through Alaska from Seattle or Portland. I'm going to wait a month or so and see if the SEA to SNA goes down. If it doesn't I'll book into LAX.

We've always flown into LAX because the cost has always been way cheaper. We used to take evening flights and hit the parks the next day. Now we have a toddler and that is no longer doable. We made the mistake of flying in and out of LAX with her in March and I will NEVER do that again. Watch on Google Flights if you're not already! I was able to snag a good rate for September that way (not for SNA, those never went down in the several months I was watching them). Burbank is now similarly priced to LAX and, while it's also farther away, the airport is tiny and much less chaotic. We're now only flying in on non-park days with the unpredictability of flights. Good luck, I hope you get a good rate!

 

[Cal-Pie]

How are they with delays and cancellations?

I booked flights on Delta back in February for our October trip. After 2 cancellations and 3 drastic changes (12 hrs+ different than what I originally booked), I ended up canceling and getting a refund. I rebooked with American. I'm certainly expecting more changes before October gets here, but hopefully they won't be as dramatic as what Delta was doing. Air travel is certainly a nail-biter right now.

 

[DisSurfer878]

Oh my goodness tell me about it. We need to go Seattle this fall, and it's going to cost us over $1000 for 2 tickets.

We usually spend $400 max as we fly Alaska to Seattle from LA 3-4 times a year

 

[DisSurfer878]

How are they with delays and cancellations? I don't follow anyone except Alaskan so I am way out of the loop.

Except for flights to Seattle, we have exclusively flown Delta for about 15 years. It would take me less than one hand to tell you our bad experiences over the years.

 

[superdeluxe]

Check Delta!
I'm in Seattle as well and have found Delta coming in hot competing with Alaska. They really want that Seattle business!

We really enjoyed Delta and the airbus experience. But we also live for the companion fare with Alaska's card. uuggh lol