Hello FTers,

I have a conference in March at Westin La Poloma, Tuscon. I am flying from PHL. As a US Gold, I'd prefer US, but they do not fly to TUS. Using UA is an option, but my miles wouldn't count toward my upgrade bank (and we know how important that can be!).

A friend recommended flying to PHX (US has a nonstop), renting a car, and driving to TUS.

Questions:
1. Is there significant traffic to/from PHX-TUS? I have heard the drive is about 2 hrs.

2. I read the forum and folks have suggested renting from off the airport. Suggestions for a vendor that is closeby coming from the airport (or they have a shuttle?)?

3) Any interesting stopping points along the route?

Thanks in advance,
Chris

email me your fax #, I've got a neat little map of the area between PHX and TUS. The guy that made it used to rent motorcycles to me, it points out various highlights.

I probably won't get this to you before the Holidays as I'm swamped, but I will for sure in Jan.

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Thanks! YGM

We drove from Tucson to Phoenix and it took us only 90 minutes. We did not hit any traffic to speak of, but I'm sure it would depend on the time of day.

It will be 90 minutes- 2 hours, depending on where in Tucson the hotel is, and what time of day you're traveling. Leave the airport in PHX between 4 & 6 PM, you'll have slow going the first 20-30 minutes; likewise, Tucson bulks up at rush hour and has no east-west superhighways.

Not much between Phoenix and Tucson but Picacho Peak, Casa Grande, and a couple of Dairy Queens. Look to your right (west) at Marana, and you'll see one of our airplane storage/junk/rehab yards: lots'o big planes parked next to one another, waiting for a banana republic to buy them.

There are off-airport rental agencies, but they can be a pain to get to. If you're only in for a day or two, it probably isn't worth it. More than that, it might be. Budget has a place not far off at either a Roadway Inn or Howard Johnsons, I think on 24th St. I recently spied a Hertz at 3rd Ave & Indian School, associated with the Mercedes Dealership there, maybe a 15 minute cab ride from the airport.

Let me know if can be of more help.

JP

You could book a US PHL-PHX-TUS ticket and fly UA metal on the PHX-TUS segment. Personally, I wouldn't worry too much about the lost 500 actual US miles as the PHX-TUS drive, imo, isn't worth the hassle. :-)

FYI PHLbuddy I did not get your fax # yet

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�I did absolutely nothing and it was everything I thought it could be.�

Hmm, YGM again (to your hotmail addy)

You left out 2 of my favorite sites on the ride. About 3/4 of the way to Tuscan you will see on the right a large ostrich farm. Shortly thereafter is a turnoff for Saguaro National Park. You can take the park into Tuscan, it adds about 45 minutes to the trip.