Does anyone understand the UA logic in the scheduling for flights between ORD and DCA and ORD and IAD? For the ORD to DCA route there is a flight every hour all day long, but the ORD to IAD schedule is much less frequent. I would have thought since IAD is a hub (or focus city or whatever) there would be more options from the Chicago hub.
I'm not sure if PP is saying the same as this, but there are a lot more non-stops from IAD to places, whereas DCA flights are designed to connect to ORD hub. I think most of the international flights from IAD have counterparts from ORD, so there would not be a lot of traffic from ORD needing to connect to IAD as a hub.
In plain English, people in WAS who want to be in CHI, fly out of DCA rather than IAD because DCA is 10 mins from downtown and 10 mins from curb to gate as opposed to IAD which is 45 mins from downtown (worse in traffic) and 30-45 mins. from curb to most gates. While it's not branded as a Shuttle, it's close enough.
Similarly, many people flying TCON actually fly xDCA and connect at ORD or IAH (the NS is poorly scheduled Westbound) because the total time is signficiantly less and the wear and tear much less.
The only reason to fly ORD-IAD is if you're headed to/from Europe or to/from a suburban DC destination such as Reston.
It does seem odd UA has such low frequency on the route, but I suspect O&D does explain the difference. At least if you're not checking bags or have your car parked at IAD, it's usually possible to stand by onto the DCA flights.
There is little reason for people ex-ORD to connect at IAD. Sure there are some smaller cities one cannot get to nonstop from ORD, but that's minimal. Therefore, the majority of the traffic between CHI and WAS on UA is O/D at WAS. Excepting for those along the new growth areas along the Dulles parkway, most people flying in/out of WAS want DCA over IAD.
Additionally, because of route restrictions at DCA, a larger number of ex-DCA passengers must connect on their way west. ORD is the place to do that.
There is little reason for people ex-ORD to connect at IAD. Sure there are some smaller cities one cannot get to nonstop from ORD, but that's minimal. Therefore, the majority of the traffic between CHI and WAS on UA is O/D at WAS. Excepting for those along the new growth areas along the Dulles parkway, most people flying in/out of WAS want DCA over IAD.
Additionally, because of route restrictions at DCA, a larger number of ex-DCA passengers must connect on their way west. ORD is the place to do that.
i love taking the DCA-DEN flight for west coast connections. and the later afternoon flight makes it so you can work in DC and still get out west by night.
I'm an ORD flyer and shuttle in and out of DCA all the time. Easiest commute I know of - off the plane, 10 minutes to the Metro, wait a few minutes, hop a train, in downtown DC in no time.
The only time I use IAD is when I'm connecting to/from an INTL flight that didn't work out of ORD for some reason. Most recently it was connecting to MAN, and I chose IAD over EWR due to upgrade availability.
The other reason, of course, is that IAD is a pig sty and as the "gateway to the nation's capitol" an embarrasment to our entire country.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by haddon90
i love taking the DCA-DEN flight for west coast connections. and the later afternoon flight makes it so you can work in DC and still get out west by night.
There is little reason for people ex-ORD to connect at IAD. Sure there are some smaller cities one cannot get to nonstop from ORD, but that's minimal. Therefore, the majority of the traffic between CHI and WAS on UA is O/D at WAS. Excepting for those along the new growth areas along the Dulles parkway, most people flying in/out of WAS want DCA over IAD.
Additionally, because of route restrictions at DCA, a larger number of ex-DCA passengers must connect on their way west. ORD is the place to do that.
Or, if you're going to LAX, you can take the very nice nonstop DCA-LAX on AA.
I don't think $30 more on AA is all that bad - especially when you're flying on a 738 with wi-fi. AA is much more competitive for government flyers on that route - their government fare is $100 less than United's.
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I fly out of all WAS airports - usually to ORD only or to connect to a nearby destination (SDF/CMH/IND/LEX) that used to & should be better served by direct flights from IAD ... but that's another story.
DCA does have the most options - but more often than not they are much more expensive than the other two.
BWI is usually cheapest (thx WN) - but can be a pain to trek up there - plus they're now getting a lot more UAX flights than mainline.
IAD is attractive for its daily IAD-ORD and return flight on a 767. I have 100% upgrade success to intl. C ... so that's really a no-brainer if my schedule allows me to catch that flight.
BWI is usually cheapest (thx WN) - but can be a pain to trek up there - plus they're now getting a lot more UAX flights than mainline.
Except on weekends, getting to BWI from Washington is no more difficult than getting to IAD. Train from Union Station or the express bus from New Carrollton Station. With IAD, one must take the Metro to West Falls Church and then the Washington Flyer from there. Of course, DCA is the easiest.
