Originally Posted by
iahphx
The only SoCal airport I have yet to try is CLD (Carlsbad). I was actually booked to leave from there this spring but there was a schedule change and the LAX connection got terrible. I just cancelled and rebooked to SAN. From what I had discovered, CLD seems to be somewhat of a PITA though for cars (higher prices) and hotels (few), so I don't think I'll try to book from there again.
There is one of those Courtyard-type hotels across the street from the airport, and Courtyard by Marriott to the west of the airport.
The airport has a large parking on site. First two hours is free, then $5 per day. Maximum of 30 days. You pay at the machine with a credit credit card. To find the lot, turn left as you enter off of Palomar Airport Road.
For transit connections to Oceanside or Encinitas, NCTD's 309 bus stops in front of the airport.
UA has only one person to staff the ticket counter and the gate. This means at T-30, she leaves the ticket counter and does gate duty. If someone arrives at T-29 without a boarding pass already printed, he won't be able to fly. The UA agent will not leave the gate area to print the pass.