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How's Your Airport Hub?


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I'm sort of locked into United because of their hub here at IAD.  It's pretty good overall with lots of direct flights to places I go, but it also...means I'm always on United. For years we were big on American, but they offer less options for direct flights, so we rarely fly them anymore.  Delta, which is generally rated higher, is even tougher for us as an option.  

How about you? Good hub nearby? And happy with the airline(s) to choose from? 

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LaGuardia is the closest to me (although still a bit away), but JFK and Newark are viable options as well.   But for years I was in Dallas where it's all about American, then in San Fran, where it's all about United.

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Hmm well, I've been using Air CAnada all along.

Not into West Jet since they are way more limited internationally.  Our airport is international but it's not the same scale as VAncouver and Toronto where those airports truly are far busier hubs internationally in Canada.  There's decent choice time flights daily, to fly across CAnada from our local airport also. 

I have taken transit bus to / from our airport.  I'm glad they have bus from airport. It runs every 45 min. or so.  

I've lived for past 4 decades in 3 major cities, with international airports which is quite handy.  Not saying I fly overseas alot but it's an indicator, an international large airport also has alot more different flight date choices daily for domestic also.  It is very easy to take transit between airport and downtown cores for all 3 cities99% of time I had 1 carry-on luggage and knapsack   --domestic flight and for some international flights.

Dearie loved biking to and from the airport for all these cities. He seemed to see as an interesting challenge to check out how/if a city would offer some cycling routes from the airport.

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PIT is heavily dominated by Southwest. I don’t love them, even before the December SNAFU. But I’m flying to LA nonstop this spring with them, and don’t mind the PGH to Denver, Vegas and Phx options that I can do. I did Maui to Vegas to PGH in January that was a fine trip, but had to do PGH to Denver to Oakland to Maui going out, which was a chore. 

Hawaiian has non-stops from Orlando or Tampa to the Islands. Maybe I’ll retire to central Fla and summer in Hawaii. If not there, then Erie. 

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39 minutes ago, Kirby said:

Newark

38 minutes ago, Ralphie said:

Newark than Philly but easily does either.

I think they finally made some improvements to the Newark terminal.  Used to be a really tough airport. But convenient for my Jersey peeps, so doable for me in a pinch (like Philly) as I could have one of them drop me at the airport and maybe watch the pup as well.  

34 minutes ago, shootingstar said:

Dearie loved biking to and from the airport for all these cities. He seemed to see as an interesting challenge to check out how/if a city would offer some cycling routes from the airport.

A fun challenge for sure.  

19 minutes ago, Prophet Zacharia said:

Hawaiian has non-stops from Orlando or Tampa to the Islands. Maybe I’ll retire to central Fla and summer in Hawaii. If not there, then Erie. 

All I ever hear from my sister is how tough Erie is as a starting point for flights.  She seems to spend an inordinate amount of time driving to other bigger airports and it seems like a royal PITA.  On the flip side, the Florida/Hawaii idea sounds good!

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JH is one of the nicest airports in the country. Best security crew too. I believe it is the only U.S. airport located in a National Park.

Delta, United, and American fly in and out of here. Most flights are through their hubs with only a few direct flight options. There are more private flights than commercial.

Jackson Hole Airport | Projects | Gensler

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image.thumb.png.07250e07fb6e5e11cd467cdf842be7ce.png

 

We cycled from downtown Copenhagen to the airport.  It was only 10-15 km.

Unusual experience to me, since alot of the bike route (on a pathway) was pleasant, not much strip mall/parking lot wasteland that one finds in North American airport cities. 

Other times in Europe we took our bikes directly onto commuter train from downtown core to the airport, since some the major international big city airports are multiple transportation hubs for multiple train routes between cities/European countries and within the local city itself.  Frankfurt Germany airport, is a freakin' HUGE airport /multi-transportation systems hub. There not any equivalent of course in North American since none of our cross-country trains go to any airport.

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2 minutes ago, shootingstar said:

image.thumb.png.07250e07fb6e5e11cd467cdf842be7ce.png

We cycled from downtown Copenhagen to the airport.  It was only 10-15 km.

Unusual experience to me, since alot of the bike route (on a pathway) was pleasant, not much strip mall/parking lot wasteland that one finds in North American airport cities. 

Other times in Europe we took our bikes directly onto commuter train from downtown core to the airport, since some the major international big city airports are multiple transportation hubs for multiple train routes between cities/European countries and within the local city itself.  Frankfurt Germany airport, is a freakin' HUGE airport /multi-transportation systems hub. There not any equivalent of course in North American since none of our cross-country trains go to any airport.

I'm just not sure what I would do with a bike when I GOT to the airport with it.  I've traveled with my bike, but in that case it was in a Trico bike case - disassembled and protected from the long trip in the cargo hold.  If I had ridden the bike to/from the airport, I'd be challenged sorting out what to do with the case.

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1 hour ago, Fret Buzz said:

I'm just not sure what I would do with a bike when I GOT to the airport with it.  I've traveled with my bike, but in that case it was in a Trico bike case - disassembled and protected from the long trip in the cargo hold.  If I had ridden the bike to/from the airport, I'd be challenged sorting out what to do with the case.

We had foldable soft cases for our Dahon folding bikes.

So your bike might be more precious to you...

Dearie shipped his bike on probably 8 domestic flights and over 10 different overseas since he did several trips in Europe solo while I was working FTE.  Out of all those trips, he did have a slightly damaged derailleur from 1 trip...which he got fixed in the big city he flew into.  

He wasn't particularily upset since after all it was a 2 month long solo bike trip across several European countries, and so fix was worth it all.

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Ontario is increasing their flights and is a really nice airport.  We had to reroute to Ontario once as SNA has flight restrictions.

I’ll take a look at it next time we have to fly as it’s about the same distance but much less traffic and easier to get in & out of.

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Our local airport connects to Philly on AA

SYR is only 1.5 hours away and is usually where we fly from. Delta, Southwest and UA are the main airlines. Sometimes we will fly from ROC as Gumpettes folks live near the airport so we don’t have to pay for parking.

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United also with Newark (EWR) or IAD

Orlando typically had good connections, but it is the destination that determines it. Until recently, United was the only US carrier to Geneva. I can also do Zurich but 2 1/2 hour train vs 40 minute train. Delta just began a Geneva flight via JFK and about 2 hours later - both ways - than United.  The other beauty of United is that both EWR and IAD flights arrive around 7:30 AM giving the full day where connections in London, Brussels, Frankfurt and others arrive around 2PM and through customs twice as Switzerland is not part of EU. I can go direct from Orlando to London (BA and Virgin - but watch Heathrow vs Gatwick as may need the shuttle for connection), Frankfurt (Lufthansa), Brussels (various airlines), and Toronto or Montreal (Air Canada) and Dublin (Air Lingus) with connection to Geneva.

On a related note, Orlando becomes my hub for CT as direct flights on Jet Blue, Southwest to Hartford, but even better is the recent direct on Avelo to New Haven - which is a joke of an airport.

As a side note, as a veteran through a member organization I get a 5% discount on United and Lufthansia (book through United) for both me and companion ticket, And 10%, myself only, on American (but connection isn't good from Orlando with two stops, typically Miami and Madrid. No discount on Delta.

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18 hours ago, Parsnip Totin Jack said:

Yes but it’s a dead giveaway that you’re a Yankee. 

While Coke is in Atlanta, to be a true Southerner, it is RC Cola and Moonpie.

Interesting subfact. In some of the very remote (impoverished) parts, locals still refer to Coke as 'dopes'. The original formula had cocaine, giving a buzz that ensured repeat customers. What a marketing campaign!

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Portland (PDX) is a really nice airport. Currently under remodel. Lots of places to eat & drink. Same prices as "in town". There are a few direct flights to Europe. But typically we have to go to a bigger hub on the West Coast. LAX, SFO, SEA. Last flight to Rome we flew Alaska to Seattle, to catch a Lufthansa flight to Frankfurt & then a flight into Rome. Coming back it was only 2 flights. Rome-New Jersey (EWR)-PDX. Usually we will fly Alaska to a West Coast hub using miles.

There is one carrier that flies direct to AMS (Amsterdam) Might be Delta. But pricing has always seemed a bit high. We try for only one connection to get to Europe. That is a long flight. Typically 10-12 hours. In September we are flying out of JFK to London. It will be strange to have it only 6 hours or so

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1 hour ago, Scrapr said:

Portland (PDX) is a really nice airport. Currently under remodel. Lots of places to eat & drink. Same prices as "in town". There are a few direct flights to Europe. But typically we have to go to a bigger hub on the West Coast. LAX, SFO, SEA. Last flight to Rome we flew Alaska to Seattle, to catch a Lufthansa flight to Frankfurt & then a flight into Rome. Coming back it was only 2 flights. Rome-New Jersey (EWR)-PDX. Usually we will fly Alaska to a West Coast hub using miles.

There is one carrier that flies direct to AMS (Amsterdam) Might be Delta. But pricing has always seemed a bit high. We try for only one connection to get to Europe. That is a long flight. Typically 10-12 hours. In September we are flying out of JFK to London. It will be strange to have it only 6 hours or so

Direct flights to Europe are really the best part for me about being on the East Coast and by a hub.  Of course, that's less so for trips going west. Our flights Down Under :) went through California, but that's not awful because I don't mind a nice stretch after several hours in a plane.  I haven't checked, but I also doubt I have a direct flight to Hawaii or Alaska without going through LA or Denver.

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