NBL

It's a little bit of a ways off, but I just booked a trip leaving HPN on United Express/Colgan at 6:00 AM on a Saturday. We will be checking bags. What time should we get there? United's website says the ticket counter opens at 6:00, which has to be wrong considering they have a flight leaving every day at that exact time.

We'll also be returning a rental car (one-way, much cheaper than a taxi from where we live or parking at the airport) at that time. My understanding from Budget's website is that there won't be anybody there that early but I will be able to leave the car and deposit the keys. Is this a quick process? I assume the rental car lot is pretty close to the terminal?

Thanks in advance. I've only used this airport once before, about three or four years ago, and I remember a circus-like atmosphere at the check-in counter with nowhere near enough space or people working, and it seemed like half the people missed my flight.

cordelli

I would plan on getting there by 5 at the latest. Chances are you will be in line before the counter opens, but you will be at the front of the line. The problem with White Plains is if there are planes leaving, it's very busy. The check in area is still the same few counters it was last time you were there, etc. United is not bad as they don't have large planes leaving from there, but if one of the larger airlines have a flight leaving around that time, you need to stand in line for security with all those people.

White Plains is mainly families on a Saturday Morning, which just slows things down at the checkpoint and at checkin. The line can move quite slow. There are six flights set to leave between six and seven in the morning, figure well over half those passengers will be standing in line before the place opens (granted some of them are small planes, but it's still a rush of people all at once)

I would call Budget directly (914-997-4183) and confirm their drop off procedure. I believe it's as simple as parking the car in their lot and dropping the keys in a box at the counter.

dchristiva

Agree with cordelli. 5 am at the latest. HPN is a zoo at the peak departure hours, so you don't want to take chances on missing your flight.

dhammer53

After you drop the keys in the box, you walk 50 paces to the check-in counter. Everything at HPN is close.

FYI, the closest gas station will be in Armonk. Fill up the night before.

dh

dchristiva

And don't expect it to be right off I-684. You'll have to drive into town to find the filling station. As dhammer said, fill up the night before, because I'm not even sure those stations will be open prior to 5 am on a Sat.

cordelli

Depending on which way you are coming (it seems like you are leaving your house very early and driving from home, so filling up the night before may not be an option) I would recommend filling up either on the Hutch or the Merritt in Greenwich before you get to the airport.

The station on the Merritt is less than three miles away, open 24 hours, and very expensive. There's one on each side, so if you are not coming down from Connecticut drive north past the station to the next exit, get off and come back, and fill up on the south bound side, that saves you six miles or so.

The station on the Hutch is nine or so miles from the airport, open 24 hours, I'm not sure if it's less expensive than Greenwich is or not.

NBL

Thanks. I am coming from home (Long Island). I know that station on the Hutch is usually really expensive. I'll probably try to find someplace along the way in the Bronx and fill it to the top.

stravels

Would arriving by 5:00 am be the same advice for the 6:00 am UA/Colgan Air flight to IAD on a Tuesday? What about dropping off a Hertz car?

Also, is there any decent (relatively healthy like a bagel sandwich) breakfast food in the airport (that can be purchased before the 6:00 am flight)?

dhammer53

There's a newstand that sells a couple of starches landside. You can also make your starch purchase by the gate. There is/was a restaurant upstairs. I haven't been upstairs in a long time. I'm sure someone else will chime in with an answer. By starches I mean a bagel or roll or packaged pastry.

dh

bk3day

Sorry to sidetrack this thread but, i can't recall if there still is a public transit option from NYC? (GCT =>Metro North=> Westchester Bus)

If they still have it, how much time should I give myself coming from GCT, to catch a FRI 7:25 PM flight on UA?

thanks

dhammer53

The county killed the express bus from the railroad station to HPN.
You can catch 12 bus just across the street from the train station at the bus terminal.

Schedule ... http://transportation.westchestergov..._timetable.pdf

The schedule shows when your train arrives, when the bus departs, and when it arrives at HPN. Infrequent service to say the least.

I'd arrive at 5:04 at the train station. That means the train departs Grand Central in the 4:30 neighborhood. Security on a Friday night will be

PM me. You never know, I may be around.

bk3day

Thanks so much for the update & links!

Good to hear there's at least some option after they axed the express bus.

Luckily, today UA's IM dept custopped the insanity & reopened some lower fare buckets for the pretty high, but now normal fares from JFK to SFO.

So it looks like back to Brooklyn, I go

Still, for future reference, got any clue what a cab should cost to HPN and if they are usually are waiting at the train station or need to be called upon arrival?

dhammer53

Plenty of cabs at the train station. Estimated cost $15 - $18. Approximately 15 minutes.

For those of you reading and wondering about cabs at HPN there aren't any. You can call Splendid in White Plains at 914 682-2222. They'll pick you up on arrival. FYI, there is a Limo desk at HPN, and it's for you corporate types.

dchristiva

Still a restaurant (and coffee shop) upstairs. Oddly, I will say that the restaurant is not half bad. But, it's still landside, and security at HPN can take forever to cross, so I'm not sure it's a great option for travelers unless you have a ton of time to kill or your flight gets significantly delayed. The coffee shop isn't bad for a quick breakfast, and it's way better than the crap you'll get at the newstand or out of the vending machines airside (there is no dining option airside other than vending machines).

stravels

How long should I allow to get through security for a 6:00 am flight on a Tuesday?

Anyone know of a reliable website to find out what time airline counters open and what the peak times are/how long it will take to clear tsa? Found out the hard way that the united website is not reliable, and rather than edit the website the response from united customer support was that they would inform the station manager that they should be open earlier. There was no reason to open earlier as there was no line