America West FlightFund (Discontinued Program) - phx--flg fare suggestions?

i'm flying phoenix to flagstaff on the 21st of may and returning on the 6th of june...have been watching the fares, was as low as $301 and is now $376 for the times i want--11.48a on the outbound and 7a on the return--i'm connecting to ua flights in phx.

i'm a newbie, and haven't had much luck using google search, so forgive the question, but i'm wondering if the fare is likely to go down closer to the date or if i'm better off ticketing now. is there any way to get a better fare? (joining the ff program?)

thanks

i'm flying phoenix to flagstaff on the 21st of may and returning on the 6th of june...have been watching the fares, was as low as $301 and is now $376 for the times i want--11.48a on the outbound and 7a on the return--i'm connecting to ua flights in phx.

i'm a newbie, and haven't had much luck using google search, so forgive the question, but i'm wondering if the fare is likely to go down closer to the date or if i'm better off ticketing now. is there any way to get a better fare? (joining the ff program?)

thanks


Have you considered driving? You can fly to Costa Rica for the same fare!

This is just one of those runs that is not a good value :(. Assume that since you are connecting to UA that you are probably coming in from LAX/SFO/DEN? If so, you can get a much better price if you terminate your UA flight there, and connect to an HP flight. From LAX-FLG, I see $138; SFO-FLG, $255.

I just priced your PHX-FLG itinerary at $349.40.

Bob

I have never taken it, but there is a shuttle service between Sky Harbor and Flagstaff (http://www.openroadtours.com). It appears to be $56 RT,with 5 daily departures. It's too bad that you weren't able to book all the way through to Flagstaff from your origination. That probably would have been the best $$$ deal.

Almost all the short hop flights are very bad deals. PHX-TUS $230 is a prime example.

thanks all for the tips! i'd be fine with the shuttle--or driving--but my hubby would prefer to fly.

if nothing else, you guys have reassured me that there's not some big stone i'm leaving unturned.

we're coming from kona and wanted to keep most of the flights on ua, thus the current routing.

so happy to be part of flyertalk.
mahalo!

Hello,

I highly encourage you to drive from PHX to FLG. It's only 2 hours and it is a BEAUTIFUL drive. You'll be able to climb out of the desert then into the high country. You can even hit Sedona or Prescott (both really neat places) on the way up. The drive is on an interstate (I17 straight north from the airport) and you can't beat the scenery. Really is worth it if you haven't experienced it.

Hello,

I highly encourage you to drive from PHX to FLG. It's only 2 hours and it is a BEAUTIFUL drive. You'll be able to climb out of the desert then into the high country. You can even hit Sedona or Prescott (both really neat places) on the way up. The drive is on an interstate (I17 straight north from the airport) and you can't beat the scenery. Really is worth it if you haven't experienced it.

thanks! after some discussion (and the realization that we'd be saving roughly $550 by driving) mr karenkay decided driving was a fabulous option.

can't wait to see it--i heard it was a three hour drive...two is a much better deal.

could be an ok use of a 15k award. pm me if you wanna trade.

You'll actually get there faster by driving than

Transfering from T2 to T4
Checking in for your flight
Clearing Security
Waiting for the next FLG Flight


Bob

You will not be disappointed in choosing to drive, I promise!! Interstate 17 is a very good road all the way and there's lots of scenic stuff.

i'm flying phoenix to flagstaff on the 21st of may and returning on the 6th of june...have been watching the fares, was as low as $301 and is now $376 for the times i want--11.48a on the outbound and 7a on the return--i'm connecting to ua flights in phx.

i'm a newbie, and haven't had much luck using google search, so forgive the question, but i'm wondering if the fare is likely to go down closer to the date or if i'm better off ticketing now. is there any way to get a better fare? (joining the ff program?)

thanks

Two words: Motorized transport. :D

Two words: Motorized transport. :D

with grateful thanks to moondog for the kind offer, we're gonna do the drive. should be interesting after the redeye from koa--lax and the subsequent lax-phx hop! wheeeeee :p

Sorry, I have to point out how this reminds me of Ron White's Blue Collar Comedy bit about how his agent booked him a flight from FLG to PHX cuz she dosen't own a GLOBE! :D

Sorry, I have to point out how this reminds me of Ron White's Blue Collar Comedy bit about how his agent booked him a flight from FLG to PHX cuz she dosen't own a GLOBE! :D


tee hee. good point...i just figured after a redeye and a half, it might be easier to get on another plane rather than hitting the road ;)

I live 4-hours NE of PHX, and have done this run twice after HNL-SFO-PHX and OGG-IAH-PHX flights: once by plane PHX-SOW, and the other driving. I was actually more rested after the drive than the flight. Plus, no hassles of waiting for next flight, etc.

Your LAX-PHX flight will be an RJ flight, so getting luggage in PHX-T2 should be a minimal wait. From baggage claim, cross the road to the median, and go to the Blue Diamond sign; that is where all of the rental car shuttles pick up.

From your rental car agency, head to I-10 West, and follow that for about 5-miles to I-17N. It seems to take forever to get out of Phoenix on I-17, but you will. There are also quite a few restaurants along I-17 where you can stop and get something to eat... vital in this situation.

There is a rest stop at Sunset Point that I'd highly recommend. It's at about 1/2 way and has some nice views. Also, I-17 passes Sedona, so you can turn off if you'd like and stop at a visitor center to plan your trip for later in the week. (When you return to Sedona from Flagstaff, I highly recommend the State Route 89A route. It's a beautiful drive through Oak Creek Canyon. It takes longer than I-17, but is well worth the drive.)

Have fun in our state.

Bob

p.s. Rental car taxes are extremely high at PHX; something like 40%... gotta pay for Bank One Ballpark :(. I just mention this to soften the blow.

I live 4-hours NE of PHX, and have done this run twice after HNL-SFO-PHX and OGG-IAH-PHX flights: once by plane PHX-SOW, and the other driving. I was actually more rested after the drive than the flight. Plus, no hassles of waiting for next flight, etc.

Your LAX-PHX flight will be an RJ flight, so getting luggage in PHX-T2 should be a minimal wait. From baggage claim, cross the road to the median, and go to the Blue Diamond sign; that is where all of the rental car shuttles pick up.

From your rental car agency, head to I-10 West, and follow that for about 5-miles to I-17N. It seems to take forever to get out of Phoenix on I-17, but you will. There are also quite a few restaurants along I-17 where you can stop and get something to eat... vital in this situation.

There is a rest stop at Sunset Point that I'd highly recommend. It's at about 1/2 way and has some nice views. Also, I-17 passes Sedona, so you can turn off if you'd like and stop at a visitor center to plan your trip for later in the week. (When you return to Sedona from Flagstaff, I highly recommend the State Route 89A route. It's a beautiful drive through Oak Creek Canyon. It takes longer than I-17, but is well worth the drive.)

Have fun in our state.

Bob

p.s. Rental car taxes are extremely high at PHX; something like 40%... gotta pay for Bank One Ballpark :(. I just mention this to soften the blow.


wow, bob, thanks for the help!
enjoy your new ballpark :D

Re. travel time, elevation is a consideration: PHX is at about 2000 ft while Flag is like 7000--- so going up will be harder that coming down. 2 hours seems a little ambitious on the way up; 2 1/2 sounds more like it, but it is all interstate with a limit of like 70mph. For the return trip, gravity tends to move traffic faster so you may be closer to the 2 hour mark.

If you are cost conscious and want to avoid the rental car taxes for your multi-week stay, there are a number of car agencies outside the airport that only charge the local 7ish % sales tax. The Enterprise office in the downtown Hyatt, 4 miles from the airport, comes to mind.

Re. travel time, elevation is a consideration: PHX is at about 2000 ft while Flag is like 7000--- so going up will be harder that coming down. 2 hours seems a little ambitious on the way up; 2 1/2 sounds more like it, but it is all interstate with a limit of like 70mph. For the return trip, gravity tends to move traffic faster so you may be closer to the 2 hour mark.

If you are cost conscious and want to avoid the rental car taxes for your multi-week stay, there are a number of car agencies outside the airport that only charge the local 7ish % sales tax. The Enterprise office in the downtown Hyatt, 4 miles from the airport, comes to mind.

wasn't your current (or recent) governor elected partially based on a campaign promise to raise speed limits to 75mph wherever practical?

anecdotally, a friend from az showed me her license several years ago and i was amazed by the 30-year term.

wasn't your current (or recent) governor elected partially based on a campaign promise to raise speed limits to 75mph wherever practical?

anecdotally, a friend from az showed me her license several years ago and i was amazed by the 30-year term.

Now it expires when you turn 65(driver's license) :D . I live at Anthem which is at about 1850' in elevation and 30 miles North of downtown up I-17. Phoenix is actually just above 1100'.

Anyway, it really depends on the drive to Flag. The speed limit varies depending on danger of road and population. They just reduced the speed limit from 75 to 65 on I-17 from Happy Valley Road to Carefree Highway. It drops again to 65 around Black Canyon City and stays that way until you get to Sunset Point. It then drops again around Pinewood about 10 miles short of Flagstaff.

There's no way I'd fly from Phoenix though. If you are going at the right time it is around 2.5 hours, wrong time around 3.5 hours.

Now it expires when you turn 65(driver's license) :D .


Yep, mine expires almost halfway through the century. ;)

The speed limit is 75, as mentioned above. Guess I was thinking of CA limits.