Note: this Wikipost is a quick summary of what dcpatti put together in post 1, on page 1 of this thread. Feel free to make changes to this post, or PM aztimm, if you find something incorrect or needs more detail.


Shuttles are the nonstop flights between DCA (DC-Washington National), LGA (NY-LaGuardia) and BOS (Boston-Logan).


What's different about the shuttle?
You'll get an early morning snack on departures before 9 am, and free beer or wine in coach all day long. First Class refreshments are similar to other US flights of a similar length.

I heard some stuff about not being able to pre-assign seats.

The Shuttle used to work a little differently to other flights but has recently changed to using the same pre-assigned seating as all other flights. You should be able to select your seat at the time of booking now. In addition the Shuttle is no longer open-seating, instead it follows the normal US seating procedures with varying charges for ChoiceSeats. As with other flights these seats are not available for free at T-24.

What about upgrades?
They'll work just like regular flights, with the first comp upgrades being given at the 7-day Chairmans window. Upgrade seats will be available for non-elites at check-in or by calling at 24-hours before the flight.

I heard they have weird ideas on boarding.
NOTE: In addition to what is below, GalleyWench posted the following (post #91 on 5/12/13):
The Shuttle flights don't board by zone even if there's one on the boarding pass. You'll find a ton of elites on these flights, and if most of the plane holds Zone 1 or 2, then boarding doesn't go very fast. So they revert to the old-school boarding by rows. Folks who need assistance first, then First Class, then the last rows of the plane, working forward to the front.

I heard they have weird ideas on deplaning, too.
In some cases, they will deplane Shuttle flights from both the front aircraft door via jetway and the rear aircraft door via stairs.

Anything else that's different?
In NYC-LaGuardia you'll exit the terminal through a different exit, in the center of the gate area and down a flight of stairs. You'll be on the curb in about 4 minutes.

Can I go home early?
Sure. With the exception of the very peak travel times, you can usually get a seat on an earlier Shuttle. US charges a $50 fee for a confirmed stand-by for an earlier flight. This fee is waived for Elites and for certain passengers on full-fare Y/B tickets.

Can I go home late?
Technically, US Airways does not offer any accommodations to those who "miss" a flight; if you want to change into a later flight with a confirmed seat, you'll need to pay the change fee plus any fare difference. But in many cases, passengers who are tardy for their flights are re-ticketed onto the next available flight as a courtesy.

Where are my gates?

• At BOS, you'll be at Gates B16-B19.
• At LGA, you'll be at Gates C17-C22.
• At DCA, you'll be at Gates 41-44 (North Pier/C Concourse)

Can I hang out in a club or lounge?
Each airport has a US Airways Club and an Admirals Club. Your US Club membership (annual or 30-day) will allow you access to any of these, but US day passes will only work at US-branded clubs. Note that not all Admirals Clubs are easily accessible from US-operated gates.

Club locations:

• At BOS (map)
  • US Club in Terminal B, between security checkpoint and Gate B4.
  • Admirals Club in Terminal B, near Gate B30 next to Swatch store (requires lengthy walk airside through UA concourse).
• At LGA (map)
  • US Club in Terminal C, next to Gate C28.
  • Admirals Club in Concourse D, near Gates D1-D2 (requires landside connection, with boarding or gate pass).
• At DCA (map)
  • US Club in the North Pier/C Concourse, Mezzanine level.
  • Admirals Club in the Central Pier/B Concourse, Mezzanine level (airside shuttle bus service available).

Anything else I need to know?
Taxi fare from LGA to Midtown Manhattan will be $30-40 depending on traffic and route; DCA to downtown DC/ K Street area will be about $20; and BOS to downtown Boston will be about $30. There are public transport options as well.

There is a separate Shuttle baggage claim and check-in desk at LGA and separate kiosks at DCA. Separate Shuttle check-in desk at DCA is located downstairs near Security. There is supposed to be a separate security lane for Shuttle at DCA but it's almost never open. Passengers can also check in at regular US Airways kiosks and counters.