LAX or SNA for a post Carnival Radiance cruise flight home

[PhotoMike]

Hi all,

Will be doing the Carnival Radiance next March 2022, and am looking at flights now. I was able to snag a deal on our inbound

flight into LAX (1st class on Alaska Air..YAY!), so that one is booked. Now I'm looking for the post-cruise flights home, and am seeing 2 flights with a 1pm or so

departure time, one leaving from LAX, and the other from SNA. My question is "which one do I choose?" From the research that I've

done, LAX is a shorter distance from the port than SNA, but the potential traffic and the size differences between these two airports sort

of make it a toss up? Any advice would be appreciated, as well as popular transportation options to get there. I'm an Uber novice...used the service

maybe 2 times in my life, and that was before Covid. Will be traveling in a group of 4 (2 adults/2 pre-teens). Thank you all in advance for any help!

 

[skrufy]

1 hour ago, PhotoMike said:

Hi all,

Will be doing the Carnival Radiance next March 2022, and am looking at flights now. I was able to snag a deal on our inbound

flight into LAX (1st class on Alaska Air..YAY!), so that one is booked. Now I'm looking for the post-cruise flights home, and am seeing 2 flights with a 1pm or so

departure time, one leaving from LAX, and the other from SNA. My question is "which one do I choose?" From the research that I've

done, LAX is a shorter distance from the port than SNA, but the potential traffic and the size differences between these two airports sort

of make it a toss up? Any advice would be appreciated, as well as popular transportation options to get there. I'm an Uber novice...used the service

maybe 2 times in my life, and that was before Covid. Will be traveling in a group of 4 (2 adults/2 pre-teens). Thank you all in advance for any help!

 

I would take the SNA flight. The distance is not that much of a difference. Anytime you can bypass driving in metro LA traffic the better. Smaller airport, less congestion than LAX. Uber is a good choice.

[PhotoMike]

24 minutes ago, skrufy said:

I would take the SNA flight. The distance is not that much of a difference. Anytime you can bypass driving in metro LA traffic the better. Smaller airport, less congestion than LAX. Uber is a good choice.

Thank you for the advice, I was gravitating toward that one.  Having a small airport in my home locale (western Illinois), I can appreciate the benefits of using the SNA option. I haven't pulled the trigger on booking yet, as it's a bit early & the prices are high, but I'm definitely watching the fares daily now. Now to brush up on my Uber skills..lol!  Thanks again.

[Bruin Steve]

I live here...And I've flown many, many times in and out of LAX, in and out of SNA, in and out of BUR (having lived and worked in all parts of the metropolitan area from Orange County to Santa Barbara...So, here's my take:

First, distance...From the Long Beach Carnival Terminal, LAX is a 23 mile trip, SNA 30...No matter how you slice it, transportation to SNA is going to cost a bit more--but not so much as it should make too much of a difference. The idea that you "can bypass driving in metro LA traffic" is somewhat absurd.  "Metro LA" includes the entire area--including both airports and the drive to or from.  You are NOT leaving the metropolitan are heading to either airport, just different stretches of freeway.  You are also NOT passing through Downtown LA going to either airport.  You can easily hit traffic going in either direction as well.  Traffic here is just part of life.  It this trip is on a weekend, your odds are better.  If it's a M-F morning, there will be traffic everywhere.  Unavoidable.

Next, "size of the airport".  Yes, LAX is a behemoth...one of the busiest airports in the world.  SNA is much smaller.  Many people seem to be intimidated by LAX.  HOWEVER, if all you will be doing that day is flying home, it really isn't that big a deal.  It can be a problem for people who are changing planes there--it' not easy if you need to change terminals, for example.  But, if you are merely ctching a flight home, your Uber or Taxi or whatever kind of ride can drop you off right at the terminal for the airline with whom you are flying.  You won't have to traverse the entire airport looking for your airline or gate...You'll walk right in the door to find the desk in front of you, check in, drop your luggage, go through security and walk straight through to your gate.

if there is ever a concern, it's the possible lines at check-in or security...but, to be realistic, I have encountered some long lines at many smaller airports as well--including SNA.  And, honestly, I fly out of LAX quite a bit and have NEVER needed much time at all to get from curb to gate.

Benefits to LAX include that there are so many flight choices--at all hours, on multiple airlines to so many places.  If there is some difficulty with a flight, there's always another one leaving soon to the same place.  And airfares tend to be lower...and there tends to be more NONSTOP flights.

Don't get me wrong...I LOVE smaller airports.  Even better than SNA is the even smaller Burbank--which I use when I can.  Checking in is really easy...as is finding your gate.  It's just hard to get a decent choice of flights to most places and to gt nonstop rates...and, of late, I've found it's even harder to find ground transportation from there (Uber taxi, shuttle) than from LAX!!

 

I guess what I'm saying is to NOT let people scare you away from using LAX.  You will NOT be dealing with the entire airport.  Flying home, you are not dealing with the LAX-IT lot or extra shuttles or waiting for baggage retrieval.  You MAY have a little wait at security--but often not (and if you have some form of TSA priority, even better).  And you will probably ave a little on the ride their in terms of cost an time.

 

Good luck... 

 

[PhotoMike]

Thank you for the detailed reply, Steve. You make some excellent points! Ideally, I'd like to book a noon flight out of LGB, and experience that wonderful little airport, complete with the tarmac boarding & all that. But, alas, that doesn't seem to be a good option for us flying non-stop back to Chicago. The nice thing with LAX is that there's a flight about every hour all day long back to ORD, while SNA has 2 flights that afternoon that gets us home at a reasonable hour (we lose 2 additional hours on top of the 4.5 hour flight). I'll keep monitoring both airport's options as I get closer to a good booking window.

[skrufy]

2 hours ago, PhotoMike said:

Thank you for the advice, I was gravitating toward that one.  Having a small airport in my home locale (western Illinois), I can appreciate the benefits of using the SNA option. I haven't pulled the trigger on booking yet, as it's a bit early & the prices are high, but I'm definitely watching the fares daily now. Now to brush up on my Uber skills..lol!  Thanks again.

 

44 minutes ago, PhotoMike said:

Thank you for the detailed reply, Steve. You make some excellent points! Ideally, I'd like to book a noon flight out of LGB, and experience that wonderful little airport, complete with the tarmac boarding & all that. But, alas, that doesn't seem to be a good option for us flying non-stop back to Chicago. The nice thing with LAX is that there's a flight about every hour all day long back to ORD, while SNA has 2 flights that afternoon that gets us home at a reasonable hour (we lose 2 additional hours on top of the 4.5 hour flight). I'll keep monitoring both airport's options as I get closer to a good booking window.

Know how you feel. We are here in Rockford and take the bus the 65 mile ride to OHare. Have to plan flights based on catching the bus, especially coming back to Rockford. Have been looking at the flights out of OHare to Long Beach and SNA for awhile, there’s very few non stops if any and the prices have remained high. We are heading out in February 2022. Finally found a good price LGB round trip and booked it.

[PhotoMike]

3 hours ago, skrufy said:

 

Know how you feel. We are here in Rockford and take the bus the 65 mile ride to OHare. Have to plan flights based on catching the bus, especially coming back to Rockford. Have been looking at the flights out of OHare to Long Beach and SNA for awhile, there’s very few non stops if any and the prices have remained high. We are heading out in February 2022. Finally found a good price LGB round trip and booked it.

Freeport guy here 😉  I'm very familiar with the Coach USA bus situation in Rkfd, I'm actually thinking it will be cheaper for us to just drive in & park at a lot close to O'Hare. Which airline did you go with for the LGB flight? Southwest and American are both crazy expensive for my dates right now, as well as not being direct.

[ATSEAMYLIFE]

All things being equal I would go out of SNA.  It's nicer, cleaner, open, and bright.  However, if not equal I wouldn't avoid LAX if a better flight and price.  LGB is a cool airport and very retro, but there's not much to do/eat if you have a long wait time.  

[KeepCalmBearOn]

I avoid LAX all I can. If LGB isn't an option then I would use SNA.