PHL or IAD Connections?

[UpstateCruizer]

Which of these two options would be a better choice ?

 

6:00 AM SYR – 7:29 AM IAD

United 7918

connecting to

8:35 AM IAD – 10:59 AM LAX

United 867

 

Or

 

7:10 AM SYR – 8:30 AM PHL

United 2010 (operated by US AIR)

connecting to

9:40 AM PHL – 12:48 PM LAX

United 2326 (operated by US AIR)

 

I've flown into PHL twice and if memory serves me correctly the last time was a US Air flight that required us taking a bus from one terminal to another after a lengthy walk. I know we did not do this the first time we connected in PHL but I can't recall which airline that may have been on.

 

We are flying in 2 days ahead of the cruise. The only options with longer layovers are flights that go out after 12 noon and don't arrive until after 5pm. I want to avoid that if at all possible.

 

Thanks for your input :)

[steve20832]

Seems everytime I go to PHL, I have to catch the bus too and hated that airport.

As far as Dulles, if you get on a United Express, you will have to catch the mobile lounge to go to United gates. (The mobile lounges are going away in 2009 and being replaced by a train system.) If you go from United to United (non Express planes), you stay in the same terminal but that can be a long walk or a short walk depending on which gates you come in and out of. Dulles is under construction but the United gates are done and plenty of places to eat if you are hungry.

 

Is Southwest an option? They fly from Albany or Buffalo. You would probably switch planes at Chicago or Las Vegas.

[UpstateCruizer]

Seems everytime I go to PHL, I have to catch the bus too and hated that airport.

As far as Dulles, if you get on a United Express, you will have to catch the mobile lounge to go to United gates. (The mobile lounges are going away in 2009 and being replaced by a train system.) If you go from United to United (non Express planes), you stay in the same terminal but that can be a long walk or a short walk depending on which gates you come in and out of. Dulles is under construction but the United gates are done and plenty of places to eat if you are hungry.

 

Is Southwest an option? They fly from Albany or Buffalo. You would probably switch planes at Chicago or Las Vegas.

 

Thanks Steve. We've only had to ride the bus in Phl once and the other times we just found our gate in the same terminal. I'm thinking the time we had to ride the bus it was because we were on an RJ. This flight would be arriving on an airbus and leaving on a Boeing 757.

 

My dh is nervous that LAX is going to be a nightmare airport and getting there may be an issue since our ship isn't scheduled to arrive back into port until 9am.

 

The problem with Southwest for this trip is that they only have 2 flights back to Syracuse on the 3rd. One is a 1pm and the other is 1 1:15pm flight. Since I've listened to the discussions on here about them not being partnered with any other airlines it seems risky to chance making a 1pm flight when I'd basically have no other options with Southwest to get home that day.

 

I may be over thinking the whole thing but I'd rather know what I'm getting into ahead of time. If anyone knows wether or not Us Air (booked with United) would be changing terminals in Phl that would make my choice alot easier.

 

Thanks. Oh and any experience with Lax that may reassure my dh that Lax airport is manageable? Thanks again :)

[fbgd]

If you go from United to United (non Express planes), you stay in the same terminal but that can be a long walk or a short walk depending on which gates you come in and out of. Dulles is under construction but the United gates are done and plenty of places to eat if you are hungry.

 

Not all the UX flights go from Concourse A. I quite regularly end up going from Concourse C on my UX flights, at a guess around 30% of my UX flights either arrive or depart from Concourse C.

 

Either way if you end up in A it isn't much of a hardship, I've never had to wait more than a few minutes for the shuttle to run between the two.

 

IAD gets a slating from most people (probably due to the aesthetics of C/D more than anything) but I don't think it is that bad an airport to connect through.

[megr1125]

i'd rather connect thru PHL. i just hate dulles. BUT, at least the UA flights thru dulles are actually UA! I hate USScare more than i hate dulles!

[6rugrats]

I would choose the UA flights that go through IAD. IAD is not a wonderful airport, but I don't like US and I hate PHL.

[UpstateCruizer]

I would choose the UA flights that go through IAD. IAD is not a wonderful airport, but I don't like US and I hate PHL.

 

Is there a way to check to see where United flights usually arrive and connect from at this airport? I often see people mention they will be changing terminals or catching a connection in the same terminal. How does one know this in advance?

 

 

Is LAX a fairly smooth airport or can I expect to find long lines for checking in and security?

[FlyerTalker]

Is there a way to check to see where United flights usually arrive and connect from at this airport? I often see people mention they will be changing terminals or catching a connection in the same terminal. How does one know this in advance?

You could do your own "tracking" through the UA website. Go to the flight status tab and you can see the arrival gates for flights from SYR to IAD.

 

For example, yesterday's nonstop flights are listed as arriving at A1, A3, C20, and A1. Though this has no guarantees, it can give you some feel for trends. Since UA is the big dog at IAD, they utilize multiple concourses. Go to the IAD website for more details and maps.

Is LAX a fairly smooth airport or can I expect to find long lines for checking in and security?

For whatever it's worth...US uses T1 at LAX, which is the same terminal as Southwest. Reports are that security lines there can be among the worst (along with the TBIT). As always, it depends on the airline and time of day - I've been at LAX when there are maybe 10 people ahead of me in the security line (T2 or T3), and times when it has been a complete zoo. Personally, I'd be staying away from T1 though not as much as staying away from PHL.