PHL
 

Any comments?

I can't take LGA anymore. EWR is a pain for ground travel back to Manhattan, and JFK has basically no flights to DFW before late afternoon.

One warning about PHL. A bit hairy if you're arriving/departing on US flights. When I was flying in from GSO on a Saturday AM a few weeks back, the deadheading FAs in the F cabin were complaining that it is gridlock for US flights (waited 35 mins to get a gate that AM) and one gave himself 2 hours to get onto the flight he would be working on. The a/c apparently are often caught in a grid lock around the gates.

I'm afraid you'll find PHL to be neither convenient nor cost effective for you! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/frown.gif

I've experienced all those airports and I don't think PHL is much better. Sorry http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif I know an eighty mile flight between LGA-PHL takes eighty minutes... I've also been told that all flights from PHL at least on US have been padded by 20 minutes and that's still not enough.

Thanks for the input. I fly AA, usually to DFW.

I don't mind delays (not hours-long delays) as much as cancellations and taxiway delays (the latter being psychological I suppose http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif ).

JS--We are of a like mind! I too travel to DFW frequently on AA, and I detest LGA. I suggest the following options: If the weather is good, you may want to travel JFK-DCA-DFW in the morning. It'll tack on maybe 90 minutes to your trip, but add years to your life. AA has frequent flights on both routes. If the weather is bad, it gets a little dicey for morning travel. Jets are certainly more reliable, but the schedule is scarce. One option is a RJ through CLE, but it adds at least two hours. There's a 6:45 flight through MIA, but that also adds about 2 1/2 hours. An RJ through BOS will not avoid weather in all probability.
On the return, the last flight is a 4:12 through DCA. Not bad if the weather is good.
Or there's a 2:15 through MIA which adds about three hours of travel time.

Or you can be totally crazy like me: a DFW-LAX-JFK route on the redeye. It beats sleeping on a cot in Dallas.

This may not be an important factor for you, but I think an advantage of PHL is that the train goes right to each terminal - no need for taxis or shuttles or (highway) traffic jams.

If you are willing to consider PHL; why
not consider SWF? It's a heck of a lot
less stressful than PHL - IF the schedules
meet your requirement.

-doug

AA's block times are padded as well. Also, you need to know that due to the construction of the international terminal, AA has lost 2 gates to construction in their terminal (A). PHL is just as bad for ground holds due to traffic in the NE corridor. Just had a 57 minute rdu-phl turn into 1h 45min due to traffic.

It's a big factor for me! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif DCA can be reached via train as well.

DCA is usually more expensive, but it just might be worth it to actually get out on time. Or I can try the JFK-DCA-DFW method. Hmm Hmm Hmm http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

I live almost midway between PHL and EWR (50 mins to EWR-65mins to PHL). The biggest issue is the drive. One can't even think about trying to get to PHL from the north during the moring commute. I-95 is a parking lot filled with commuters to Philadelphia that is backed up for miles every day.
Th rest of the time it is a good alternative. I'm CO Platinum and have a lot of trouble getting upgrades out of Newark, because of the concentration of Platinums and special deals CO has cut with the corporations in North Jersey and NYC. I have less trouble with upgrades out of PHL, although the tradeoff is fewer flightsand smaller planes (737s). If you are really adventurous, America West has the best prices out of PHL and I have never had a problem getting upgrades with them, althought this year's 2-hour upgrade policy has soured me on them. However, out of PHL, they are very well priced.
WOW-500 Posts- Time flies when your having fun!

[This message has been edited by Vulcan (edited 09-20-2000).]

If the drive to PHL is the main issue you may want to consider ABE but you still will have to connect through PHL or PIT.

Jay

Nope -- subway to NY Penn Station, Amtrak to 30th St in Philly, then R1 train to terminal A.


Is DCA worth it?

Well I'm flying to DFW next week, and I am strongly considering JFK-DCA-DFW. I did this trip last week and it was fine, but I had to return to LGA due to scheduling.

If you are looking to take Ramtrak to another airport, may I suggest BWI. I believe the train serves the airport, and BWI's ops are a lot more reliable than DCA (longer runways, less congestion) and it is less crowded than PHL. But it will still add 2 1/2 hours to your trip.

Good luck with your decision.

I don't know, Vulcan, but the evening rush hour on 95 is pretty bad going to the Flyers' games. However, going to PHL I can stay on the Jersey side whole way down and make it from near New Brunswick in 75-80 minutes. EWR of course is only 35 so I do not use PHL as much as you do or as does my partner who lives near you in Montgomery Township, despite the better chance of platinum upgrades to IAH. I generally only use it when there is a fare disparity with EWR, which is not all that infrequent nowadays since CO has become the high priced spread.
I like the parking decks in PHL and the general ease in driving in and out of the airport. I have never had a problem finding a good spot in the deck and never get the snarls like the ones going up to departure at EWR terminal C.
I will be using it again this week with NW to MSP.

I would love for ABE to be a viable option. It is a clean, nice airport. Unfortunatley, there is a distinct lack of competition and fares out of there are even higer than EWR, so its not really an option. For someone living in North Jersey, ALB is really nice and cheap because of SOuthwest's Presence. Its about a 2 hour drive form North Jersey. The last time I arrived on NW at about 11pm at ALB, I was shocked to see that there were anothed 8 flights arriving later than mine.

Amtrak sort-of serves BWI--there is a BWI Airport stop, but there you catch a shuttle (I think frequency is 20 minutes) to the airport proper. Alternatively, take Amtrak to Penn Station and catch the Baltimore light rail into the airport (this will put you in the international terminal).