Flying in and out of Detroit

[lyttleone1977]

I am flying out of Detroit Metro (DTW) next Monday, and my wonderful boyfriend is driving me to the airport and picking me up. While I am pretty savvy about big cities and airports, he has never been to Detroit (we live near Lake Michigan) or been to an airport. He calls himself a "redneck" and doesnt understand why someone like myself (smart and beautiful) wants to be with a "redneck" like himself because all of this stuff makes him nervous. Anyways, I told him I will drive over there, and make sure he has directions on how to get out and get back in, but he is still flipping out. I have also told him he is not going into Detroit, but Romulus, and he is still nervous. I also said I can drive myself and leave my car there, and he rebutted that I can not afford to leave my car there for that long.

Does anyone have any advice about how to handle this. He is scared that he will get lost leaving (end up in down town Detroit), or will not be there in time when I come back, or will not be able to find me at the airport (I said that is why God made cell phones). He is starting to stress me out...... Please help!

[steve20832]

I am flying out of Detroit Metro (DTW) next Monday, and my wonderful boyfriend is driving me to the airport and picking me up. While I am pretty savvy about big cities and airports, he has never been to Detroit (we live near Lake Michigan) or been to an airport. He calls himself a "redneck" and doesnt understand why someone like myself (smart and beautiful) wants to be with a "redneck" like himself because all of this stuff makes him nervous. Anyways, I told him I will drive over there, and make sure he has directions on how to get out and get back in, but he is still flipping out. I have also told him he is not going into Detroit, but Romulus, and he is still nervous. I also said I can drive myself and leave my car there, and he rebutted that I can not afford to leave my car there for that long.

Does anyone have any advice about how to handle this. He is scared that he will get lost leaving (end up in down town Detroit), or will not be there in time when I come back, or will not be able to find me at the airport (I said that is why God made cell phones). He is starting to stress me out...... Please help!

 

Find a new boyfriend. Problem is solved. :rolleyes:

[SuzieTrue]

There are two ways to get in/out of DTW since the new NW terminal opened. If you are using NW, you will access the airport via I-275. All other airlines, you use I-94.

 

Where are you coming from?

[lyttleone1977]

We are coming from I-94. I am flying out of the Smith Terminal (Spirit Airlines). The night before we are staying at a hotel on Wick road, which is on the other side of 94. Driving from the Battle Creek area.

 

And Steve - I dont need a new boyfriend. The oneI have is great, except for this little problem.

[cruiselife4me]

lyttleone - I do know the horror that DTW causes most men...which is why I leave mine at home. :) But since it's closest to you I would prefer that you stay at a hotel that lets you leave your car in their parking lot and takes you to the airport on a shuttle - luggage and all. Any one of the Detroit Metro "airport" hotels will do this! And for the price of the room - which is usually cheap - it's much better than paying for parking. AFter your flight you simply take the shuttle back. We stayed at the Clarion.

 

I prefer saginaw/bay city or flint airport to dtw, but i realize that is closest for you.

 

Good luck sugar!!

[DanJ]

I was nervous as heck about driving into DTW before I first did it, and found it to be really simple. Just take Merriman off I-94 and you go right to the terminals. It's really well marked for where each terminal is, and you just do a loop and go right back out again. Wick Rd also runs on both sides of 94, depending where on Wick you will be. It is on the same side of the airport at Middlebelt and east, and across 94 at Merriam and west. If you are spending the night, then you should go for a scouting drive through there when you get to the hotel. Then your bf will feel more comfortable the next day after he drops you off. As long as gets back on 94 west when he leaves, and the ramp is well marked as he leaves the airport grounds, he will come no where close to downtown Detroit LOL

 

http://www.metroairport.com/maps/

 

As for picking you up, just make sure he knows your flight number, and to meet you in baggage claim. He can park at the big blue deck cheap, and walk across to the terminal. He should know by the drive to take you there how much time to allow going to pick you up.

[lyttleone1977]

Over the weekend I tried to get him to look at the online maps with me, but he said he was getting confused! We are staying at a near by hotel the night before, and I was thinking about just having their shuttle take me in the morning then take a rental home, but not at those prices! I can't afford an additional 100 just to drive home.

 

I normally fly out of Grand Rapids (it is only 40 minutes from me), but I was able to get a really good deal, direct flight out of DTW - I couldn't pass it up. My mother and her friends tend to fly out of Ohare, and I HATE that trip, and DTW really isnt that far.

 

I think what I am going to do is follow DanJ's suggestion and take him over to the airport the night before so he can get a feel for it, see exactly what he needs to do. I think he is planning on taking me in and walking me to security, so I thought we could go find baggage claim and set up a meeting spot. If worse comes to worse, we cancel our room that night and I drive over in the morning - not a big deal. Thanks for all of the input. If you have other ideas let me know too!

[jmk22574]

Hello.....I hope this information helps. I'm originally from Michigan (Midland) and due to cheaper airfare would often fly out of Detroit Metro versus MBS, Lansing, or Flint Bishop. Two years ago I started dating my now husband, and every month one of us would fly to Nashville or Detroit to visit the other. I was single, in my late twenties, and definitely not from the city but it was VERY easy to navigate DTW and the surrounding area.

 

Smith Terminal is the easiest terminal by far to get in and out of at this airport. It is the old terminal that houses Spirit Airlines and Southwest Airlines (and maybe one or two others). Last time I flew into DTW on Southwest we were told that as of 2007 this terminal was being torn down, but that really doesn't matter (sorry to ramble). This is what we would do. When his flight landed and was taxiing toward the terminal, he would call me from his cell phone. I would be parked on Middlebelt at the McDonald's directly across the street from the airport entrance. It took about five minutes to drive to Smith Terminal, so I'd give him about 10-15 minutes to claim his luggage and walk outside to the passenger pickup area (which is shared by cabs and rental car shuttles). It was SO MUCH easier (and cheaper) than trying to park at various parking ramps throughout the airport.

 

If you do happen to drive yourself and need to park your car somewhere, my favorite was the U.S. Park and Fly located on Middlebelt. It was the cheapest, had AAA discount, and I felt my car was secure in that lot.

 

Leaving the airport is just as easy, there are signs all over for 94 East or West, just make sure he knows he wants to head West if heading back toward the Battle Creek area. *****My sister and her husband flew to Riviera Maya in mid-June out of DTW, and just a heads up, they didn't know about the shortcut (coming from 23 and bypassing most of 94, which may not pertain to you coming from the western side of the state) but 94 was completely shut down due to construction and there were signs advising alternate routes. I have no idea if this highway is still completely shut down or if it's just slow going through there (anyone from Michigan knows the awful summertime cone zones). If you can, check with AAA or another service on the availability of 94 currently.

 

Sorry this was so long, but tell your boyfriend if a single girl from "up north" can maneuver that area, he will be fine. Let him know if he happens to make a wrong turn, he still has plenty of exits to turn around before he gets into the real "city" of Detroit.

 

Happy travels!;)

[gailc]

Can't help you with directions, but maybe your boyfriend could have a friend ride with him to help with looking for signs & directions. We fly from Muskegon to Metro for our cruises. We used to fly out of Grand Rapids, but we have been flying out of Muskegon for a couple years now. Our airport is 5minutes from our house. I had priced flights from Muskegon & G.R. There wasn't much difference in price. However, driving to Detroit is probably less since you don't have a connection.

 

Gail