Which airport best for Dana Point?
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: DTW
Programs: Delta PM, SPG gold, HHgold, Marriott Platinum Mariott Silver, AA, UA
Posts: 71
Which airport best for Dana Point?
Need some advice about driving to the st. Regis in Dana Point?
If we have to choose between lax and San Diego airports which has the easier/shorter drive?
I know John wayne is best, but that is not an option for us.
Thanks
If we have to choose between lax and San Diego airports which has the easier/shorter drive?
I know John wayne is best, but that is not an option for us.
Thanks
#5
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: LAX
Programs: DL PM | Marriott Gold | Alaska Gold
Posts: 758
As SNA is not an option (as OP pointed out) given the time you're flying in, I would go with SAN. To be honest, the travel time by car will be about the same from both SAN and LAX.
#8
Moderator Hilton Honors, Travel News, West, The Suggestion Box, Smoking Lounge & DiningBuzz
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Is CLD an option? I've flown into CLD for a stay at Dana Point and the drive was easy.
#10
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Newport Beach, California, USA
Posts: 36,062
From SAN and LAX, it's about the same, depending on the traffic -- 90 minutes or so. However, on Friday, there is a lot of traffic heading south from LAX, so it could be significantly more. That's why SAN is a better bet.
#11
Suspended
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 4,044
Carlsbad is almost certainly the shortest drive, but I don't know if there's any convenient flights for you.
#12
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: LAX
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It is SoCal traffic, so drive time can really vary. Getting out of SAN metro area on the 5 Freeway can be tricky sometimes, but once you're out of the downtown area, it is smooth sailing all the way up to Dana Point (unless there is an accident - at which point you could be delayed hours). Same goes for LAX. Figure anywhere between 60 - 90 minutes. The drive up from SAN is all along the coast though - very pretty drive.
#13
Moderator Hilton Honors, Travel News, West, The Suggestion Box, Smoking Lounge & DiningBuzz
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And that's why CLD, if the flights work for the op, is an even better bet.
#14
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: Santa Cruz, CA USA
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Posts: 7,290
I agree that CLD is a great little airport and certainly the closest to Dana Point. However, the only commercial flights I know of into CLD are UA Express from LAX. That would mean an extra flight plus connection time at LAX - probably adding about 2 hours to flying time. Even though the drive from CLD is probably only about 30-40 minutes, the total time including the connection is likely to be longer.
It may be worth it to reduce the hassle of the longer drive, but I think that would be a personal choice. Also, the OP didn't indicate what the original departure point would be, why SNA is not an option, and whether a UA Express connection from LAX would work.
It may be worth it to reduce the hassle of the longer drive, but I think that would be a personal choice. Also, the OP didn't indicate what the original departure point would be, why SNA is not an option, and whether a UA Express connection from LAX would work.
#15
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: DTW
Programs: Delta PM, SPG gold, HHgold, Marriott Platinum Mariott Silver, AA, UA
Posts: 71
We are coming from DTW and SNA would be 7hrs with a stop in MSP and my husband is going to a conference that evening and doesn't like to take chances with a missed connection. LAX and SAN are nonstop.
Since the driving times are not that different, we are leaning toward LAX because the flight there, the rental car and the flight we are taking to SFO which is our departure airport to get home are all cheaper.
Since the driving times are not that different, we are leaning toward LAX because the flight there, the rental car and the flight we are taking to SFO which is our departure airport to get home are all cheaper.