Big4Flyer

A couple of weeks ago I booked flights for a family trip to use up the rest of my Early Returns points flying from SFO-MCO via DIA. I just received notice of a schedule change so that our flight that originally was scheduled to leave SFO at 9 am will now leave at 6 am, giving us a 4.5 hour layover at DIA and departing significantly earlier. Because we now live in Sacramento, obviously driving to SFO at 3am only to wait at DIA for 4.5 hours with 2 kiddos isn't ideal. I'm currently considering flying from SMF-LAX on WN either the night before or the morning of as F9 has a flight leaving LAX-DIA at 9am. However, this flight only has a 30 minute layover which concerns me since the next departing flight is a red-eye which we deliberately want to avoid. I haven't flown with F9 in ages so while I'm prepared for their ULCC model I'm not sure about how on time they are. Any recommendations based on this scenario?

I'm contemplating just switching to WN for the flight but I really want to get rid of these Early Returns points and this trip will give me a pretty good value for them, I just don't want a nightmare...

jk88usa

It's likely any flight leaving at 9am from the West Coast came in early morning from DIA, possibly even further than that. Frontier is hit and miss. I've been on time in the blowing snow, and delayed in clear weather. 30 minutes is easy to make at DIA IF your flight is on time, but if not, you're going to have all sorts of problems. The 6am flight would, barring a mechanical catastrophe, be on time.

The main issue with Frontier's on-time performance is just like Southwest, loading up a limited fleet with a huge amount of routes. 30 minutes is definitely risking it, but then again it's just as likely your 2nd flight would be delayed.

You said you'd be willing to fly to LAX the night before, would you be willing to stay overnight in SFO? You'd still have the 4.5 hour layover, but at least you'd definitely make the flight. And 4.5 hours at DIA is nothing compared to the 12+ hours you'd have if you miss your flight. Just my thoughts... Also, SNA has a flight usually around 7am to DEN, if you want to save an hour and fly there the night before, that might work too.

Big4Flyer

Thanks for the suggestion, I hadn't looked at SNA, they have pretty cheap flights from SMF so I'll look into that. I already have an airport hotel reserved at SFO for the night before in case we go that route, I just don't know how exhausted I'll be trying to get a 3 year old through the airport at 4:30 AM