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annieb727
11-02-2005, 11:23 AM
Hey everyone...I've been searching for Airline deals on Kayak.com (great site by the way), and they search for nearby airports, so included in the search are: Bob Hope Airport (burbank), Orange County, Long Beach Airport, Los Angeles, Ontario International, Oxnard/Ventura Airport.

I have noticed that I can get a flight for $217 (from seattle), but it takes us to Ontario International Airport (non stop too)...any advice on this airport?
If we had jumped on it earlier...we could have gotten two tickets for $178 each...oh well, $217 isn't all that much more!

Or advice on ones to stay away from? I'm not afraid of LAX since I've been to the Atlanta airport several times and have no problems with it. So BIG isn't a problem for us...just need to make sure we have transportation to and from the airport and our hotel!

thanks!

sierranevada
11-02-2005, 11:33 AM
ONT is a small airport like Orange County. We flew in and out of it in July. Arrived Sun afternoon - about a 40 minute ride to DLH. We left Thurs evening at 6 pm and it took twice as long - 1 1/2 hours - since we hit the worst of the rush hour. We found it cheaper to do limo than super shuttle - if you only have 3 -4 people, look at town cars. Supershuttle does offer a private car service that is the same prize or cheaper than 4 people taking the shared shuttle.

The airports closest to DLR are as follows - listed closest first:
John Wayne/Orange County - SNA
Long Beach - LGB
Ontario - ONT
LAX
Burbank - BUR - wouldn't not recommend for flights - too far.
Not sure about Oxnard.

Hope this helps.

annieb727
11-02-2005, 12:04 PM
well there will only be two of us going this trip -- for our five year anniversary...and shuttles look like they will cost us close to $50 each way...so that's an extra $100.

Looked at taking the city buses...only costs about $12 each way, but then it takes almost FIVE stinkin' hours!

stan4d_steph
11-02-2005, 12:20 PM
Ontario is pretty far from DL. I got diverted there once from SNA, and it was a big pain. I think it took about 45 minutes on a shuttle to my hotel.

I suppose it would depend on how much you're saving by flying in there.

annieb727
11-02-2005, 12:35 PM
Ontario is pretty far from DL. I got diverted there once from SNA, and it was a big pain. I think it took about 45 minutes on a shuttle to my hotel.

I suppose it would depend on how much you're saving by flying in there.

well, to fly to SNA it would cost $324 each
To LAX it would be $322
To Long Beach it would cost $257
Burbank would be $218
Ontario $217

SO it's really between Long Beach, and Ontario

So far I've found that shuttles (doing the shareride thing) would cost about $48 from Ontario, and about $40 from Long Beach
Burbank is much further, so it's going to cost more...so I've narrowed the choices to Long Beach and Ontario.

Opus1guy
11-02-2005, 12:44 PM
There have been many previous threads about "which airport" that include Ontario. Using MousePad's Search feature on the word Ontairo will bring up many, but here are just a few that have some good info in there already:

http://mousepad.mouseplanet.com/showthread.php?t=47297

http://mousepad.mouseplanet.com/showthread.php?t=30283

http://mousepad.mouseplanet.com/showthread.php?t=42081

JookyG
11-02-2005, 12:51 PM
I don't know exactly when you're traveling, but I've got tickets from Seattle to LGB for Dec 10, and it was the cheapest area airport at the time, a whole $75 cheaper than LAX. I hear it's a $35 cab ride from LGB airport to maingate (no AirportBus).

disneyhound
11-02-2005, 12:52 PM
No matter where you fly into, you need to get to DL. The shuttle from SNA still costs money, but it is less since the distance is as well. We usually fly into SNA, but this year we are heading into LAX. The price savings this year was almost $175, don't understand why, but there it is. So we will pay about $20 more in transportation to and from DL, but we still have $150 more to spend at DL! Price is generally our most driving issue...

stan4d_steph
11-02-2005, 01:02 PM
If you fly into SNA or LAX, there's also the airport bus.

Mommy2NicknMax
11-02-2005, 01:04 PM
Have you checked Alaska Air yet? On their website I got a fare of $196.90 into Long Beach from Seattle (non-stop). I'm going Dec 7th - 11th and I just checked their site and that fare is still available.

I think Super Shuttle from Long Beach was something like $33/one way. I can't remember right now, sorry.

going2disneyAZ
11-02-2005, 01:44 PM
Personally I would spend the extra $$$ to get to SNA but I travel a lot for business and landing close to my location is important. Avoid LAX to busy.

If you are truly choosing btwn Long Beach and Ontario take the Long Beach. Great airport and not THAT far from DLR.

Wendi
11-02-2005, 03:36 PM
Ontario and LAX are just about the same distance from DLR, but if you are taking SuperShuttle it is cheaper from LAX than from ONT... so I'd opt for LAX if that is the case. If you are renting a car, you may enjoy Ontario because it's a smaller airport (though I don't mind LAX one bit and I find that the busy-ness makes it more convenient in some ways). If you want to be really close to DLR, fly into SNA.

Darkbeer
11-02-2005, 03:57 PM
Actually, both John Wayne and Long Beach are about the same distance away, the cab fares are basically the same price.

hbquikcomjamesl
11-02-2005, 09:25 PM
Long Beach is a beautiful old airport, as well as one that takes great pride in its history. As long as you don't insist upon boarding through a Jetway, it's probably the nicest airport in all of Southern California. (not only do I NOT so insist; call me a Luddite, but I actually prefer good old fashioned boarding ladders, especially when there are enough available, and the airline has enough common sense, to board and deplane through both forward and aft hatches!)

But don't even think about Alaska Air. I've never once had a pleasant experience with them, and I've flown at least 4 segments on them. My last flight on Alaska was coming home from Anchorage, this past Spring. The segment from Anchorage to Seattle was delayed over an hour because some obsolete entertainment equipment had fallen off a seat, and they had to get an engineer to certify that the aircraft was still airworthy. I would have had to spend a night in Seattle, except that that segment (Seattle to Long Beach) was also delayed, nearly an hour, because the flight crew was late getting into Seattle. Then my checked bags got diverted to the Island of Lost Luggage for nearly 24 hours. In the future, if I'm given a choice between Alaska Air and the "Grace L. Ferguson Airline and Storm Door Company" (any Bob Newhart fans out there?), I'll stick with Ferguson.

annieb727
11-02-2005, 10:34 PM
thanks everyone for your input!

we decided to go for Ontario...i love the timing of the flights too...

We got a 7am flight arriving in ONT at 9:31am (that gives us most of the day to play at DL!!)
and we get to fly out at 9:25 pm on Monday (the 12th) -- so another almost full day to play at DL!! yippee!

we realize this airport will be alittle longer for shuttle service, but it will save us about $50 to fly there...and that's one of our Fantasmic premium seating tickets!!

thanks again everyone! i appreciate it all!

Mommy2NicknMax
11-03-2005, 06:12 AM
But don't even think about Alaska Air. I've never once had a pleasant experience with them, and I've flown at least 4 segments on them. My last flight on Alaska was coming home from Anchorage, this past Spring. The segment from Anchorage to Seattle was delayed over an hour because some obsolete entertainment equipment had fallen off a seat, and they had to get an engineer to certify that the aircraft was still airworthy. I would have had to spend a night in Seattle, except that that segment (Seattle to Long Beach) was also delayed, nearly an hour, because the flight crew was late getting into Seattle. Then my checked bags got diverted to the Island of Lost Luggage for nearly 24 hours. In the future, if I'm given a choice between Alaska Air and the "Grace L. Ferguson Airline and Storm Door Company" (any Bob Newhart fans out there?), I'll stick with Ferguson.
Wow, I'm so sorry that happened to you! Honestly I've flown with Alaska many times and never had issues. I guess it's luck of the draw sometimes.