Experience with BIH (Eastern Sierra Regional Airport)
Dec 4, 22, 4:11 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: NYC (Primarily EWR)
Programs: UA 1K / *G, Marriott Bonvoy Gold; Avis PC
Posts: 8,563
Experience with BIH (Eastern Sierra Regional Airport)
Has anyone flown into BIH since UA started service there in 2021? I imagine the airport experience itself is very easy (given the limited level of scheduled commercial service). However, I was wondering if folks had any insight into the actual facilities on the premises, particularly around availability of rental cars. Kayak is showing Enterprise and National as options, but TBH I'm not sure I 100% trust that as Google Maps also shows the on-site Enterprise rental at BIH being temporarily closed.
Dec 19, 22, 12:59 pm
#2
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: SFO
Programs: UA 1K, AA EXP, Hyatt Glob, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Plat, Total Wine & More Reserve
Posts: 3,469
Originally Posted by PsiFighter37
Kayak is showing Enterprise and National as options, but TBH I'm not sure I 100% trust that as Google Maps also shows the on-site Enterprise rental at BIH being temporarily closed.
Making a dummy reservation on Enterprise website implies that the BIH airport location is open 12:30-3:30 pm, which appears to align with the UA flight timing.
Dec 27, 22, 7:42 am
#3
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: YYZ
Programs: AC 75k, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 969
I don't have any insight on the car rental situation. The airport is tiny, there is only one check in desk and a small waiting area. There is a Thai restaurant that is in the airport that serves excellent Thai food.
Mar 11, 23, 1:15 pm
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: NYC (Primarily EWR)
Programs: UA 1K / *G, Marriott Bonvoy Gold; Avis PC
Posts: 8,563
As a follow-up - Enterprise does have a location on-site; it consists entirely of a podium that is brought outside of the parking lot. The lady who was working it took all of 5 minutes or so to give me the rules of the road before handing over the keys.
This is about as easy as it gets in terms of an airport given the tiny size, but I suspect the location of Bishop - sandwiched between the Sierra Nevadas on the left and the White Mountains on the right - makes it susceptible to delays due to wind. The day I flew out, both incoming flights (from DEN and SFO) were delayed; the wind was fierce in that part of Inyo County, and there was a literal blizzard hitting the Sierra Nevadas directly west (it was okay in town). Definitely one of the more interesting experiences I have had flying domestically in recent times! That said, for my ultimate destination (which was straight due south, and not Mammoth), it was far more convenient and less stressful than flying into any of the LA-area airports (LAX, BUR, ONT) that I have used, although facilities are far less developed than BFL.
This is about as easy as it gets in terms of an airport given the tiny size, but I suspect the location of Bishop - sandwiched between the Sierra Nevadas on the left and the White Mountains on the right - makes it susceptible to delays due to wind. The day I flew out, both incoming flights (from DEN and SFO) were delayed; the wind was fierce in that part of Inyo County, and there was a literal blizzard hitting the Sierra Nevadas directly west (it was okay in town). Definitely one of the more interesting experiences I have had flying domestically in recent times! That said, for my ultimate destination (which was straight due south, and not Mammoth), it was far more convenient and less stressful than flying into any of the LA-area airports (LAX, BUR, ONT) that I have used, although facilities are far less developed than BFL.
