Long Distance Marriages/Relationships and Last Minute Travel Suggestions
Aug 13, 2010, 1:57 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: SLC
Posts: 64
Long Distance Marriages/Relationships and Last Minute Travel Suggestions
While I know that most of the frequent travelers on this board spend their time in the air for business reasons, I have also noticed that some of us rack up our miles because we live a ways away from our spouses or SOs.
For me, one of the things that makes living far away from my spouse so hard, is that so many visits need to be well planned, and i cant just decide on friday night that i want to go visit for the weekend.
Its Friday afternoon, and one of the things that happens to me on Friday afternoons is a sadness about not seeing my sweetie on the weekend, when i actually have a little free time (was that too sappy for FT? if so pardon my general wimpy-girly-ness)
I thought this could be a place where people introduce themselves as "Long Distance Marriage/Relationship Flyers" and maybe even suggest some strategies for those last minute/impulse visits, if there are any strategies to be used!
edit: i thought it might be helpful if we include our usual locations/routes
i'm SLC and my sweetie is ITH/SYR/ELM/ROC (and occasionally MDT). there are no directs to any of them. boo hoo.
For me, one of the things that makes living far away from my spouse so hard, is that so many visits need to be well planned, and i cant just decide on friday night that i want to go visit for the weekend.
Its Friday afternoon, and one of the things that happens to me on Friday afternoons is a sadness about not seeing my sweetie on the weekend, when i actually have a little free time (was that too sappy for FT? if so pardon my general wimpy-girly-ness)
I thought this could be a place where people introduce themselves as "Long Distance Marriage/Relationship Flyers" and maybe even suggest some strategies for those last minute/impulse visits, if there are any strategies to be used!
edit: i thought it might be helpful if we include our usual locations/routes
i'm SLC and my sweetie is ITH/SYR/ELM/ROC (and occasionally MDT). there are no directs to any of them. boo hoo.
Last edited by lynnieowl; Aug 13, 2010 at 2:10 pm
Aug 13, 2010, 2:02 pm
#2
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: AUS
Programs: Delta - Silver
Posts: 329
Come on, now. Don't go ruining his weekend! 
I did this for 4 years with a long distance relationship. It was nearly impossible to be spontaneous and we'd have to plan things out at least 2-3 months in advance. It was DTW - LAX, so that made a spontaneous 4 hour flight nearly impossible.
As for traveling, we'd usually book a nice long European vacation together. This was a great way to take advantage of our status, both airline and hotel. And spend some quality time together in a country where we wouldn't be bothered by anyone else; loss of cell phones after leaving the US.
I did this for 4 years with a long distance relationship. It was nearly impossible to be spontaneous and we'd have to plan things out at least 2-3 months in advance. It was DTW - LAX, so that made a spontaneous 4 hour flight nearly impossible.
As for traveling, we'd usually book a nice long European vacation together. This was a great way to take advantage of our status, both airline and hotel. And spend some quality time together in a country where we wouldn't be bothered by anyone else; loss of cell phones after leaving the US.
Aug 13, 2010, 2:08 pm
#3
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: BTR
Programs: DL GM, UA Silver, Marriott Plat, National Exec
Posts: 1,810
My wife will be going to PT school in GA or FL for the next three years starting in May. It will be a good bit of me heading there since she will be in classes and such on Fridays. A co-worker of mine works in BTR and "lives" in Nashville. He goes home every other week.
Aug 13, 2010, 2:19 pm
#4
In Memoriam
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: NYC
Programs: DL DM, UA, AA, SPG Gold, Marriott, HH, Fairmont, NYSC (Passport), 24hrFitness-Super Sport
Posts: 2,197
Hi lynnieowl,
I think you may get a few more responses in the TravelBuzz forum. Broader audience over there.
Since I haven't officially yet, welcome to FT!
I think you may get a few more responses in the TravelBuzz forum. Broader audience over there.
Since I haven't officially yet, welcome to FT!
Aug 13, 2010, 2:25 pm
#5
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: CHS
Programs: DL PM
Posts: 508
4+ years in a long distance relationship. I'm in CHS, he's in FLL.
From time to time when I've suddenly found myself with a free weekend and last-minute prices on DL were prohibitive, I've booked a last minute award ticket rather than pay DL's last minute fare. And if I'm not mistaken, they've stopped charging the higher fees they used to charge to book last minute award tix so that makes it even better.
Another option is if you're willing/able to fly another airline you can sometimes get a last minute ticket on a discount carrier for the same price as Delta's advance purchase price.
Case in point: Back in Feb I was supposed to fly CHS-ATL-FLL for my birthday weekend, get there Fri afternoon, leave Mon a.m., ticket booked well in advance for $300-ish on Delta. Then the blizzard shut down ATL. At6:00am on Friday DL was saying the earliest they could get me to FLL was midnight Sat. Not wanting to miss my birthday weekend plans, and having no discount carriers in CHS, I quickly booked a Southwest flight out of JAX for noon that same day for roughly the same price as I had paid DL well in advance, then drove 4 hours to JAX for my flight, and arrived FLL by dinner on Friday, as originally planned.
From time to time when I've suddenly found myself with a free weekend and last-minute prices on DL were prohibitive, I've booked a last minute award ticket rather than pay DL's last minute fare. And if I'm not mistaken, they've stopped charging the higher fees they used to charge to book last minute award tix so that makes it even better.
Another option is if you're willing/able to fly another airline you can sometimes get a last minute ticket on a discount carrier for the same price as Delta's advance purchase price.
Case in point: Back in Feb I was supposed to fly CHS-ATL-FLL for my birthday weekend, get there Fri afternoon, leave Mon a.m., ticket booked well in advance for $300-ish on Delta. Then the blizzard shut down ATL. At6:00am on Friday DL was saying the earliest they could get me to FLL was midnight Sat. Not wanting to miss my birthday weekend plans, and having no discount carriers in CHS, I quickly booked a Southwest flight out of JAX for noon that same day for roughly the same price as I had paid DL well in advance, then drove 4 hours to JAX for my flight, and arrived FLL by dinner on Friday, as originally planned.
Aug 13, 2010, 2:38 pm
#6
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: OKC
Programs: DL Silver, SPG Plat, HHonors Gold, Marriott Gold, Avis Preferred
Posts: 214
1 1/2 yrs VCE-LAS (usually wanted to visit me in VCE. 
)
1 yr PHF/ORF-LAS
It was rough, but got us ready for the busy travel schedules when we finally moved back in together.
)1 yr PHF/ORF-LAS
It was rough, but got us ready for the busy travel schedules when we finally moved back in together.
Aug 13, 2010, 3:00 pm
#7
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2000
Programs: DL FO, Marriott Gold, SPG Gold
Posts: 12,003
This subject is cross posted on TravelBuzz which is also a more appropriate home for the topic.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trave...ggestions.html
Therefore I am closing this thread to further discussion.
RSSrsvp - Moderator
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trave...ggestions.html
Therefore I am closing this thread to further discussion.
RSSrsvp - Moderator
