US Airways Dividend Miles (Pre-FlightFund Merger) - looking for PHL ---> RDU GSO CLT ROA tips and tricks

Looking for advice

I travel to NC once a month with 1 week notice. Would prefer to fly but can't schedule that far in advance so I end up driving all the time due to last minute fares.

Any tips or tricks for outbound PHL to North Carolina or Roanoke, VA on this airline or any other for 4 to 7 day reasonable fare?

Thank you in advance
John

For RDU, skip PHL and drive to BWI. There are usually competitive fares from there to RDU due to the Southwest effect (even if you don't actually fly Southwest).

Greensboro is the most competitive market out of those that you listed.

You can try back to back tickets, but sometimes those windows close within 7 days. I've done this and got lucky with the back half of each ticket......able to use those on another trip!

JerseyJohn -

I also make that trip about once a month.

One great deal was an E-saver on AA for $89 roundtrip two weekends ago. US has similar deals sometimes, but not so frequently anymore. You should sign up for the e-saver e-mails from both AA and US, since they have the most frequent direct RDU-PHL service.

I've been pretty disappointed lately with the regular fares PHL-RDU, even advance tickets are regularly up over $200. That's a big barrier, and makes BWI look even more attractive, as someone else suggested.

I live in the city of PHL, so it's very painless to take Amtrak to BWI (it stops at the airport), which is about $40 each way (you save about $5 with AAA discount, FYI). The drive to BWI isn't bad, but once you figure in parking, etc, taking the train isn't so bad. The train is faster, more relaxing, and more predicatable than the traffic on 95. If you do drive to BWI, I recommend parking at either the rail station garage or at Preflight Parking (off-site). Both are affordable and have free, frequent shuttles to the terminal.

Good luck, and let me know if you uncover any other advice! I'm constantly looking for more affordable ways to go down to RDU on a regular basis.

-Dave

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by PhillyPhlyer:
I've been pretty disappointed lately with the regular fares PHL-RDU, even advance tickets are regularly up over $200. That's a big barrier, and makes BWI look even more attractive, as someone else suggested.</font>


Agreed. I do the opposite flights often (RDU to either DCA/BWI) and while there are good fares to BWI (the DCA fares ,as you mention are $220+) they often require a 6 a.m. departure from BWI for the return. US may be matching the Southwest fares but Southwest will give you options for all day while US will confine you to the earliest, most inconvenient flights to get the same fare in that market. With loads running in the 50% range, they ought to at least match and get SOME revenue.

I have driven to DC four times in the last three months. I used to fly EVERY time. The fares from RDU-DCA were in the $150 to $185 range which was acceptable for a WEEKEND. Now the lowest (non-e-saver) fares are $220+ to get RDU-DCA ---- forget it! I'll drive and have a nice dinner when I get there and STILL come out $$$ ahead. I estimate US has lost about $800 from me in the first four months of this year alone by bumping the weekend r/t fares from DCA to RDU to well over $200.


Good luck, Jersay John. I'd keep looking for fares to RDU or GSO - they seem to be the best bet from the PHL area. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

on a one-way, you can get a very good fare RDU-PHL-BWI and use PHL as a hidden city and not fly the PHL-BWI leg. For instance booking today for
22APR OW RDU-PHL-BWI US 972/3503 $184.50
22APR OW RDU-PHL US 972 $436.50

Itinerary Total - US$ 184.50 Flight Fare Rules
1 adult at US$ 184.50
10:30am Depart Raleigh/Durham, NC (RDU)

2:50pm Arrive Baltimore, MD (BWI) Apr. 22
US Airways flight 972 / 3503 operated by US AIRWAYS EXPRESS-ALLEGHENY AIRLINES Connection in Philadelphia, PA


================

Itinerary Total - US$ 436.50 Flight Fare Rules
1 adult at US$ 436.50
10:30am Depart Raleigh/Durham, NC (RDU)

11:49am Arrive Philadelphia, PA (PHL) Apr. 22
US Airways flight 972 View rules

gerchoen -

Excellent suggestion. I did something similar once, but with an open-jaw ticket. The itinerary was PHL-RDU outbound and RDU-PHL-BWI on the return. That was in the $150-180 range round-trip.

It is sometimes worth searching these type of combinations, although I would only do it if the leg you're going to drop is at the end of the return trip, not outbound.

HPTunco -

What do you mean by "back to back" tickets? Do you mean if it's a weekend trip, to buy two separate RT tickets that have outbound and return flights say 4 weeks apart, so you use the "outbound" leg of each to go back and forth on the first weekend, and then the "return" legs to do the same 4 weeks later?

Is there often a price advantage to do this? Hadn't thought of this approach before, could be good.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by PhillyPhlyer:
JerseyJohn -

I also make that trip about once a month. You should sign up for the e-saver. I've been pretty disappointed lately with the regular fares PHL-RDU, even advance tickets are regularly up over $200. That's a big barrier, and makes BWI look even more attractive, as someone else suggested.
</font>

I appreciate your comments on BWI. I do receive the E-savers from just about everyone. I have taken two flights out of BWI but it took the same amount of time as driving. Once I added tolls, parking and flight should have flown PHL at higher rates.

[/QUOTE]
Good luck, and let me know if you uncover any other advice! [/QUOTE]

Was informed recently that driving down 13 from Dover to Norfolk would make a nice alternative to 95, especially given the fact that you have to time your south and north travels to avoid the DC rush hours (Whats that 5am to 10am and 4pm to 7pm.....How do those folks do that day after day after day...God bless 'em) Going to do that route this coming Monday with Friday return, will let you know how it goes.

Regards,
John

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by JerseyJohn:
Was informed recently that driving down 13 from Dover to Norfolk would make a nice alternative to 95....</font>


Not to mention all the great places to grab some fried chicken and/or seafood as you travel the Eastern Shore!

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by geo1005:



I have driven to DC four times in the last three months. I used to fly EVERY time. The fares from RDU-DCA were in the $150 to $185 range which was acceptable for a WEEKEND. Now the lowest (non-e-saver) fares are $220+ to get RDU-DCA ---- forget it! I'll drive and have a nice dinner when I get there and STILL come out $$$ ahead. I estimate US has lost about $800 from me in the first four months of this year alone by bumping the weekend r/t fares from DCA to RDU to well over $200.


</font>

Hey geo, I have been checking the fares for the family visit to relatives in DC waiting for those reasonable DCA fares and I get the esaver email saying none this week due to the holidays. Well, I check the fare buckets on US and AA to DCA and it appears everything is wide open but the fares are now outrageous last minutes prices. You would think they would look at the loads and try and fill the seats on those RJs and Dash 8s. So it is pack them into the SUV and drive. See you on I-85/95 http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif.

True. I'll be putting $25 worth of petrol in my Mazda and driving even though I'd rather spend $170 to sit in row 1 on an empty RJ and sip a $4 Budwieser. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/frown.gif