WWYD? Central IL Airtran Closing Flights Question ***Updated with Decision

[wed100105]

I know there are quite of few of us from the Central IL area that are bummed about Airtran no longer servicing out of BMI after June 1, 2012. We booked an one-bedroom unit at Disney Beach Club Villas for July 21, 2012 and then a 2 bedroom unit at Hilton Grand Vacation Clubs from July 27 -August 3. Both were booked through RCI and can't be changed (without $$$ penalties).

My husband, myself, our daughter (4.5 at time of travel), and our son (turning 1 on our trip) are traveling.

Our plan was to fly nonstop from Bloomington on Airtran for around $200-250 a person (based on last two trips prices) and get a rental car on July 27, return home on August 2nd. (DH is military and has to be back to work.) We were planning on using ME from the airport and Disney transportation that first week.

Now what would you do? Allegiant (out of PIA about 10 minutes from home) doesn't have their fares/schedules out past May 15, 2012. They seem to charge for seat assignments and luggage which would really rack up our costs.

We hate to fly with stops and changing planes with two little kids. We don't care to drive to Chicago, but could drive to St. Louis or Rockford. Nonstop is preferred since we will have a double stroller, carryons, and both kids will have car seats. (On Airtran we checked the carseat for free. Is that standard with other airlines as well?)

I'm just so bummed. It's been a stressful last three weeks back to work and this really makes me wish we hadn't had even booked our rooms.

 

[momto2inKC]

I would drive to St Louis and get non stop flights from Southwest. We only fly SW now due to all the other fees other airlines tack on. They always end up cheaper and are the only airline who does non-stop from KC to Orlando. We do usually pay the extra for early bird check in.

 

[wed100105]

I would drive to St Louis and get non stop flights from Southwest. We only fly SW now due to all the other fees other airlines tack on. They always end up cheaper and are the only airline who does non-stop from KC to Orlando. We do usually pay the extra for early bird check in.

Itinerary
Depart
Jul
21
St. Louis, MO to Orlando, FL
Saturday, July 21, 2012
Travel Time 2 h 25 m
(Nonstop)
#1633 Depart St. Louis, MO (STL)
2:05 PM
Arrive in Orlando, FL (MCO) 5:30 PM
Return
Aug
2
Orlando, FL to St. Louis, MO
Thursday, August 2, 2012
Travel Time 2 h 20 m
(Nonstop)
#3129 Depart Orlando, FL (MCO)
12:45 PM
Arrive in St. Louis, MO (STL) 2:05 PM


These would be decent times for us and hopefully my husband could still drop off our car at Scott AFB so we wouldn't have parking fees. The total for three tickets with taxes is $850 right now. Is that about the going rate? It stinks that is what I was expecting out of BMI without a 3 hour drive each way and parking hassle.

 

[momto2inKC]

That's just about what we paid for our trip next month. Our flight down was $315 total (that's for all 3, not a piece) and coming home it was $490 total. So right over $800 for 3 round trip. You might get lucky and catch a good sale like we did for our flight down and save a little bit of money.

 

[chamonix]

Check out the options from the Quad City Airport in Moline (MLI). It's a great airport. Try not to worry too much now, you still have a lot of time before your trip to keep an eye on all your options. If you won't go to Chicago, looks like your options are Rockford, Moline, Madison WI, and St Louis. As mentioned above, St Louis is a good choice.

 

[backyardponder]

There's a bus which goes from PIA to MDW and ORD. I don't know anything about them, but see them at MDW all the time.

 

[Traveliz]

My SIL is based in Bloomington but she drives to Indy for her Airtran flights (not sure why) but she likes that airport and that is another option.

Liz

 

[sskem96]

I live less than a mile from BMI, but we have driven to MDW for our past several trips, so we're not too sad about Airtran leaving Bloomington.

MDW is only about a 90 min drive, and STL is 3 hours. MDW has a Park n Fly lot that's really easy to get to and they shuttle you to the airport, about a 5 minute ride. They also have several more options for non-stop flights to MCO, and the flights are cheaper.

BMI has been running about $244 each way vs $105 from MDW, and BMI only has a direct flight 3 days/week. I refuse to have a layover in Atlanta after getting stranded there overnight a couple years ago. If you're late leaving MCO and miss the last flight of the night from ATL to BMI, you're stuck til the next day. If you miss a flight to MDW, there's always another one in a couple hours.

We have considered flying out of STL or Indy, but after considering the cost of flights from each, the longer drive to the other 2, and the ease of getting to MDW, MDW has always won out.

 

[Shagley]

There's a bus which goes from PIA to MDW and ORD. I don't know anything about them, but see them at MDW all the time.

The bus is pretty expensive. It is about $35 per person one way. It is run by Peoria Charter Coaches.

 

[wed100105]

What airline are you using at MDW? For $120 less per person, we'd suffer through driving up there!

 

[NancyIL]

My SIL is based in Bloomington but she drives to Indy for her Airtran flights (not sure why) but she likes that airport and that is another option.

Liz

I have flown from Indy, but it's twice as far as BMI and the parking isn't free. I don't mind connecting flights when the price is right, but I can understand why a family with young kids and a lot of stuff would not want to do that.

 

[Traveliz]

I have flown from Indy, but it's twice as far as BMI and the parking isn't free. I don't mind connecting flights when the price is right, but I can understand why a family with young kids and a lot of stuff would not want to do that.

I have no idea why she likes to do it. It is just her and her husband.

Liz

 

[wish*i*was*in*the*vi]

I live in Springfield. We have flown from BMI once but usually the flight times just aren't convenient for us. And the one time we did we had problems with Delta- mechanical problems coming and going, bad enough that we were stuck in Orlando an extra 24 hours coming home without any luggage. Anyway, we always fly out of STL on Airtran when heading to MCO these days. We can get direct flights and really reasonable fares. STL is a really easy airport to fly out of too(compared to Ohare anyway). Ohare isn't too bad, honestly, that's where we fly out of when we are headed to the Caribbean, but security in STL is super friendly, they even have quart sized ziplocs out for travelers who need them and no body scanners to deal with, which some will see as a positive and some won't- and I'm not trying to open up that debate.
But, flying out of St Louis is a very easy, quick, low stress process. Definitely our first choice for flights out of this area. Well, actually Springfield would, but they can't get their act together and price them reasonably or come up with convenient schedules.

 

[wed100105]

Has Airtran stopped its nonflight service from STL? I'm looking for nonstop July 21, 2012 through August 1, 2012. So far I've only found SW out of STL.

I've found $187 on Airtran (taxes included) out of Midway, but will have $130 in cheapest parking and a three hour drive from Peoria.

Allegiant flies from PIA (10 min from home) but only into St. Pete. They haven't released their schedule/prices for summer yet.

Southwest is the only airline I have found nonstop from St. Louis (again three hour drive and parking fees...) They are $800 for the three of us.

I'm so discouraged. Flying nonstop out of BMI was a huge selling point for us to go back again this year and the reason we were planning on going to WDW for the next two years.

Has anyone flown Direct Air out of Springfield? Springfield is about 1.5 hours away. They are having a sale right now, but I had heard some not great trip reports and they only have a flight on the Friday. If it would be canceled we'd have trouble. We'd also have to have a rental car for the whole trip.)

 

[addieandreece]

To OP, just wondered if you had decided yet what you are doing. . .sounds like I am doing the same kind of research you are. We have mostly flown airtran out of BMI and now have to come up with another plan seeing as our trip is June 1-11, so we just missed out! We really had nothing against any other airport, it just always turned out that it actually was cheaper flying out of BMI on the dates we happened to go, especially factoring, gas, parking and time. As a matter of fact, we did fly out of Midway once. . .super easy drive and great flight, until we got back and realized we had lost our only set of keys that we brought (yeah-stupid, we know) and so had to RENT a van to drive back home to get our keys and drive back up to Chicago to get our van. So, umm yeah, our savings in plane tickets to go to Midway was completely wiped out because of that, but we can laugh about it now-sort of

Anyway, your $187 out of Midway sounds good. . .The cheapest I am finding for our dates so far is Airtran out of Indy which is $219 (taxes included). I realize that is really pretty good this day and age, but I'm always on the lookout for a deal. . . and maybe that is it.

I'm always curious to see what other central Illinoians are finding as well. I have done all my research on PIA, SPI, CMI and flights out of there, but with the extra cost of everything else those involve plus flight schedules/times, even if they might be closer airports, it doesn't make any sense for our family. We are actually right in between Champaign and Bloomington so a little further to St. Louis, but not much difference between Midway and Indy for us so it's a draw with those two. Price as well as flight times factor in. As of today, SW out of MDW has a $99 going down, but for SW coming back to both MDW or IND the price goes up that Monday we plan to come back. For some reason though Airtran from IND is still $99 either way. For STL, it is quite a bit more for our dates with either airline.

I actually thought, maybe just maybe Delta might have a deal out of BMI. From my experience with my travel dates over the years, that is unlikely, BUT one vacation, we had found $187 RT with Delta from BMI, so it is possible I suppose. I just love the half hour drive to BMI. . .it's hard to give that up!

Believe me, I have done hundreds of calculations for hundreds of different options/variations, which doesn't bother me. . .I actually enjoy the challenge of that! Just wondered what you had decided if you even had yet!

 

[Traveliz]

Can you still fly down to Disney on Airtran since the service doesn't stop until the 3rd and then Delta back? That way your car will be at the same airport and you won't have paid to park. Otherwise with your location I would probably drive to STL or Indy. I am closer to Peoria (and not a fan of Delta); haven't figured out what I am going to do yet. I am hoping that the Bloomington Airport comes up with some awesome announcement. I hate to see them lose Airtran - that is over half of the airports business.

Liz

To OP, just wondered if you had decided yet what you are doing. . .sounds like I am doing the same kind of research you are. We have mostly flown airtran out of BMI and now have to come up with another plan seeing as our trip is June 1-11, so we just missed out! We really had nothing against any other airport, it just always turned out that it actually was cheaper flying out of BMI on the dates we happened to go, especially factoring, gas, parking and time. As a matter of fact, we did fly out of Midway once. . .super easy drive and great flight, until we got back and realized we had lost our only set of keys that we brought (yeah-stupid, we know) and so had to RENT a van to drive back home to get our keys and drive back up to Chicago to get our van. So, umm yeah, our savings in plane tickets to go to Midway was completely wiped out because of that, but we can laugh about it now-sort of

Anyway, your $187 out of Midway sounds good. . .The cheapest I am finding for our dates so far is Airtran out of Indy which is $219 (taxes included). I realize that is really pretty good this day and age, but I'm always on the lookout for a deal. . . and maybe that is it.

I'm always curious to see what other central Illinoians are finding as well. I have done all my research on PIA, SPI, CMI and flights out of there, but with the extra cost of everything else those involve plus flight schedules/times, even if they might be closer airports, it doesn't make any sense for our family. We are actually right in between Champaign and Bloomington so a little further to St. Louis, but not much difference between Midway and Indy for us so it's a draw with those two. Price as well as flight times factor in. As of today, SW out of MDW has a $99 going down, but for SW coming back to both MDW or IND the price goes up that Monday we plan to come back. For some reason though Airtran from IND is still $99 either way. For STL, it is quite a bit more for our dates with either airline.

I actually thought, maybe just maybe Delta might have a deal out of BMI. From my experience with my travel dates over the years, that is unlikely, BUT one vacation, we had found $187 RT with Delta from BMI, so it is possible I suppose. I just love the half hour drive to BMI. . .it's hard to give that up!

Believe me, I have done hundreds of calculations for hundreds of different options/variations, which doesn't bother me. . .I actually enjoy the challenge of that! Just wondered what you had decided if you even had yet!

 

[addieandreece]

Hmm, I hadn't thought of that option out of all my many, probably because I always think of Delta costing more, but I am going to check into that. I, like you, keep hoping that there will be some great announcement from Bloomington. I hate to see what might happen if they just leave it at that. . .Airtran was a huge draw for most!

Thanks for the idea. . .I feel silly that out of all my calculations, that one didn't factor in. . .I am losing my touch!!!

Can you still fly down to Disney on Airtran since the service doesn't stop until the 3rd and then Delta back? That way your car will be at the same airport and you won't have paid to park. Otherwise with your location I would probably drive to STL or Indy. I am closer to Peoria (and not a fan of Delta); haven't figured out what I am going to do yet. I am hoping that the Bloomington Airport comes up with some awesome announcement. I hate to see them lose Airtran - that is over half of the airports business.

Liz

 

[Traveliz]

Hmm, I hadn't thought of that option out of all my many, probably because I always think of Delta costing more, but I am going to check into that. I, like you, keep hoping that there will be some great announcement from Bloomington. I hate to see what might happen if they just leave it at that. . .Airtran was a huge draw for most!

Thanks for the idea. . .I feel silly that out of all my calculations, that one didn't factor in. . .I am losing my touch!!!

Awww glad I could help -- I am sure Delta will be more but maybe just the one way will still be worth it.

Liz

 

[Captain Blue Sky]

I would definitely not fly Allegiant and drive to the next-closest airport to my home. Allegiant has older aircraft and they experience a number of mechanical delays due to their frequency.

You could also drive to STL or MDW/ORD the night before and get an early start the next morning.

Yes, car seats are all checked for free as they are considered assistive devices.

 

[Captain Blue Sky]

By the way, you'll pay more in airfare costs by flying AirTran down and Delta back. Pricing is best when you used a single carrier and book round trip. AirTran down and Delta back would be considered two one-ways. Also, it would flag your reservation with the TSA resulting in greater screening and scrutiny...