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So Begins Flying Nightmare

Ken555

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Actually I have not found a non stop flight to Denver from NYC and back. I was thinking- ok- let's try Denver and go to Rocky Mountain National Park instead- but no, of course not.

There are numerous nonstops between these cities. Since AA changed your flight times you can simply request a refund and buy a ticket on a different airline that offers better routes and times.


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WinniWoman

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There are numerous nonstops between these cities. Since AA changed your flight times you can simply request a refund and buy a ticket on a different airline that offers better routes and times.


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Thanks. I will have to check again. But I tried United and Southwest and American. Will check again. I did also find a better return flight back home on American. The layover is very long (3 hours), but better than scrambling. We do have a 3 hour layover in Phoenix upon going to Durango, but I figured that was alright since the flight there will just be an hour. But coming home having a 3 hour layover after the initial one+ hour flight and then still like a 4-5 hour flight- ugh. Not to say that they couldn't change it again, which makes me wonder about putting so much energy into booking a flight anywhere. I have a massive headache. I think I would like to go back to the days of travel agents.
 

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Thanks. I will have to check again. But I tried United and Southwest and American. Will check again. I did also find a better return flight back home on American. The layover is very long (3 hours), but better than scrambling. We do have a 3 hour layover in Phoenix upon going to Durango, but I figured that was alright since the flight there will just be an hour. But coming home having a 3 hour layover after the initial one+ hour flight and then still like a 4-5 hour flight- ugh. Not to say that they couldn't change it again, which makes me wonder about putting so much energy into booking a flight anywhere. I have a massive headache. I think I would like to go back to the days of travel agents.

Both Delta and Southwest does have non-stop flights from Denver to NY airports. Not to increase your stress level, but Durango airport is quite small and airlines tend to overbook their flights. The key to flying out of Durango is to check-in at the 24 hour mark so you have both your assigned seats and the boarding pass. Another option to fly from Durango is to check flying Durango to Phoenix and then on to NY. The schedules may be more to your liking.
 

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Thanks. I will have to check again. But I tried United and Southwest and American. Will check again.

Not knowing your flight date, I just randomly chose a day and found 20 nonstop flights from Denver to New York, of which 13 were operated by United (and the app I used doesn't show Southwest, so there may be more). Denver is one of their hubs, so that's what I would expect. Of course, there are many other options.

If you don't mind sharing, post the dates you're intending to travel and I'm sure a few of us will look for options for you.



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WinniWoman

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Both Delta and Southwest does have non-stop flights from Denver to NY airports. Not to increase your stress level, but Durango airport is quite small and airlines tend to overbook their flights. The key to flying out of Durango is to check-in at the 24 hour mark so you have both your assigned seats and the boarding pass. Another option to fly from Durango is to check flying Durango to Phoenix and then on to NY. The schedules may be more to your liking.

Actually our flight going is to Phoenix first- with a 3 hour layover before going to Durango.But going back they gave us Dallas out of Durango going back home.

How do you check in 24 hours ahead? On-line?
 

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How do you check in 24 hours ahead? On-line?[/QUOTE]
Actually our flight going is to Phoenix first- with a 3 hour layover before going to Durango.But going back they gave us Dallas out of Durango going back home.

How do you check in 24 hours ahead? On-line?


Load the AA app on your phone and check-in online. Durango does not have too many options for AA, either connect through PHX or DFW. Another option if you are able to make the change with AA is to find a flight from ABQ, have a leisurely day driving from Durango to Albuquerque and stay overnight near the airport. Whenever we travel with an early morning departure, we do try to spend the last night near the airport, bring the rental car back the night before and use the hotel shuttle. It does remove quite a bit of stress from our travels. Also, you should be able to get reasonable rates to rent in Durango and returning to Albuquerque.

We have spent time in the Phoenix airport with long layovers without any issues.
 

WinniWoman

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WELL!! Here is what I did after spending the good part of this weekend agonizing over it. I first cancelled my AA reservations completely. Boy- I had to go on line after calling and being on hold for 20 minutes and put in a REQUEST for a refund! They do not take the refund requests over the phone, just the cancellation! AND- it will take up to 10 days to get the refund once approved! Another thing making me nervous! Then I cancelled my car rental and hotel reservations.

I then decided to book a nonstop flight to Denver through United Airlines. Booked at the Quality Inn Hotel in Estes Park and went on Auto Slash for the car rental- which was disappointingly almost $100 higher than the one in Durango. I didn;t have to pay for either of these now and can cancel anytime pretty much. I then, via email, contacted our car service we are using to and from Newark airport about the changes, who by now probably thinks I am a nutcase.

It was either this or we were doing a road trip to Portsmouth. New Hampshire. I decided that if we didn't at least go to Colorado now we probably never would considering how I feel about flying and yet another bad experience with airlines and the way things are these days. I really wanted to see Mesa Verde, but maybe one day we can get that in with a Utah National parks vacation, being it's location is so southwest in Colorado. I was really never crazy about going to Rocky Mountain National Park for some reason but I am sure we will enjoy it. Hope the weather is good. Our dates are 6/17/ to 6/24.

Thank you everyone for all your help. I am still a bit full of anxiety, but I feel much better not having to worry about connecting flights. I am now hoping for the best with my new flights/itinerary.
 

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Back in my working days I was a 3 million miler with Delta and a 2 million miler with American and flew gobs on Southwest. For a couple of years after retiring I continued to fly then gave it up as it was becoming too much of a hassle. With time on my hands I just started driving for my trips. After I had a couple of mini-strokes (TIA Events) about 7 years ago I just quit traveling. Such is life.

George
 

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Well your rental car was a $100 higher NOW. With any luck at all autoslash will find a lower rate before it is actually time to fly- you do have some time so it is quite possible.
 

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Sounds like quite a relief--hang in there! You'll end up enjoying your trip--it's beautiful country.

And I totally get where you're coming from with travel these days.
I avoid close connections completely now. Our last tight connection made us miss our flight and, needless to say, we were both tired and irritable. Not a good way to end a vacation.
 

WinniWoman

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And this morning I ended up making one more change with our flights since I was way within in the 24 hour window for making changes. Since I was so wired and didn't sleep all night, I thought about the newest MONEY magazine article that listed Estes Park as a good value this year. I knew my flights cost more than mentioned in the article, so I checked the rates flying out of LaGuardia instead of Newark and the total was $500 cheaper for the exact same departure and arrival times! We don't really like LaGuardia and I think there is a lot of construction going on at the airport right now, but $500 will pay for our car service round trip - we aren't driving! So- my car service got yet another email from me again! Lol!
 

WinniWoman

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Sounds like quite a relief--hang in there! You'll end up enjoying your trip--it's beautiful country.

And I totally get where you're coming from with travel these days.
I avoid close connections completely now. Our last tight connection made us miss our flight and, needless to say, we were both tired and irritable. Not a good way to end a vacation.

I find it is always worse coming back East. Anyway, if we ever fly again after this it will have to be a direct flight or forget it.
 

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Mary Ann, you are fortunate, being within reasonable travel distance of multiple large airports, and with car services that can fairly easily get you to/from any of them. Competition between all these services will reduce costs- at the price of sorting through all the choices yourself and making the decision of which is best for you. And, of course the self-induced penalty of making the wrong one.

For those of us out in the relative boondocks of 'flyover land' where airports are hundreds of miles apart, we aren't burdened with choices. Travel costs what it costs. Pay up or stay home.

Jim
 

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And this morning I ended up making one more change with our flights since I was way within in the 24 hour window for making changes. Since I was so wired and didn't sleep all night, I thought about the newest MONEY magazine article that listed Estes Park as a good value this year. I knew my flights cost more than mentioned in the article, so I checked the rates flying out of LaGuardia instead of Newark and the total was $500 cheaper for the exact same departure and arrival times! We don't really like LaGuardia and I think there is a lot of construction going on at the airport right now, but $500 will pay for our car service round trip - we aren't driving! So- my car service got yet another email from me again! Lol!
LGA is very very bad right now with ongoing construction. It is extremely difficult to get to the terminal buildings to be dropped off. Normally you would allow 2-2.5 hours before flight to arrive at the airport; best to plan 3-3.5 hours at this time.
http://laguardiaairport.com/traveladvisories/
 

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I am glad you didn't cancel your trip. Colorado is so beautiful. A long time ago we drove from Chicago to Phoenix and spent about a week driving through Colorado. Rocky Mountain national park, Leadville, ouray to silverton, Durango , mesa verde, black canyon of the gunnison, were some of the places we visited.


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x3 skier

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I learned a long, long time ago to accept the things I can't do anything about and change things I don't like and can fix:cool:. Airplane travel is "in between" for me. If I really want to go someplace by air, I take what I can get. If that's too much of a hassle or cost too much, I don't go. I can't change the Airlines so I don't worry about trying.

If they change my plan to something I can't accept (a very very rare happening), I get my money back and do something else. Life is too short.

Cheers
 

WinniWoman

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LGA is very very bad right now with ongoing construction. It is extremely difficult to get to the terminal buildings to be dropped off. Normally you would allow 2-2.5 hours before flight to arrive at the airport; best to plan 3-3.5 hours at this time.
http://laguardiaairport.com/traveladvisories/


Are you trying to stress me out even more than I have been?
 

x3 skier

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LGA is very very bad right now with ongoing construction. It is extremely difficult to get to the terminal buildings to be dropped off. Normally you would allow 2-2.5 hours before flight to arrive at the airport; best to plan 3-3.5 hours at this time.
http://laguardiaairport.com/traveladvisories/

I suspect that flights out of LGA will be cheaper all during construction. The airlines need to fill the planes so the prices will drop compared to EWR or JFK to compensate for the disruption. If I was flying from there, an hour of my time for a $100 saving would be worth it. $50, nope. YMMV

I use the same approach to flying out of the two airports within 30 minutes and an hour respectively to my house.

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Are you trying to stress me out even more than I have been?

I don't think anyone could increase your stress level.

I wanted to give you fair warning so you can plan according. You were so happy to save the money but you need to know what the trade off is. If you are using a professional car service (rather then a friendly neighbor who runs an airport shuttle service) they will advise you that you need to allow more time then usual because of the construction.

I travel extensively and the older I get, the more "trying" air travel becomes. I look forward to my husbands retirement in 15 months when we can fly on non-peak days and avoid much of the angst associated with air travel.
 

Ken555

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Whenever I search for New York airports, I use "NYC" which automatically searches JFK, EWR, and LGA.

As for car services, since last year I've been using Lyft to get to/from LAX, and if they are allowed at your departing airport I'd use that instead of a car service. More casual, but also significantly less expensive.


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Whenever I search for New York airports, I use "NYC" which automatically searches JFK, EWR, and LGA.

As for car services, since last year I've been using Lyft to get to/from LAX, and if they are allowed at your departing airport I'd use that instead of a car service. More casual, but also significantly less expensive.


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OP lives 2+ hours from NYC. Uber/Lyft not a viable option.
 

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Expect the schedule to change. Keep an eye on it periodically. React as soon as you notice. Use changes that are unacceptable to have the airline change your flights at NO charge. Even changing days if the schedule gets so screwed up, like if you have to make an event (like a cruise departure) and now you are getting there 3 hours too late.

Don't obsess about perfection too far in advance. Its a waste of your time.

Thanx for posting this. I didn't know I could request a change after THEY radically changed my flight. I like the OP, booked my flights (even spending more than I had to) to get better flight times. Then the flight got cancelled and I was arriving as late as the cheaper flights that I could have booked originally. I called my CC travel line and they checked to see if I qualified to request a change for no charge. I did.:banana: I am a little concerned about the turnaround time between flights 50 minutes in Philadelphia, but I figure worst case scenario I end up arriving when THEY originally rescheduled me. Plus now we are on the same flights as our guests who are staying in our TS with us. Makes arriving at the airport easier.
 

SmithOp

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Doesn't that actually prove that 40 minutes is NOT enough time? It does to me.

I have made 30 minute connection times with ease. I'm a fast walker and I check bags, only take an underseat backpack in the cabin.

My biggest complaint with airline travel delays are fellow travelers, not the airlines or airports.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/DFW_Skylink

The longest trip between farthest stations is 9 minutes with an average 5 minute journey. This allows most passengers to make a connection from any one flight to another in around seven minutes, not including walking time to and from the stations.[8]


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WinniWoman

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I don't think anyone could increase your stress level.

I wanted to give you fair warning so you can plan according. You were so happy to save the money but you need to know what the trade off is. If you are using a professional car service (rather then a friendly neighbor who runs an airport shuttle service) they will advise you that you need to allow more time then usual because of the construction.

I travel extensively and the older I get, the more "trying" air travel becomes. I look forward to my husbands retirement in 15 months when we can fly on non-peak days and avoid much of the angst associated with air travel.


Actually, LaGuardia is usually less expensive than Newark, but we don't like it so in the past we used Newark mostly. My car service said they haven't had any issues, but they do have to pick up at curbside because they can't park. They don't think we need to leave earlier than usual.

But I did set up an email alert from LaGuardia for anything that might arise.

Thanks for your help.
 
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