Help choose an airline.

[EyeMWing]

Travel dates are June 8, depart BWI/ Dulles(IAD)/any other greater Baltimore/Washington area airport bound for LAX (Not flexible on that end of the flight). Return on June 28.

Since I'll be traveling with a significant amount of expensive hardware in my checked baggage (this is primarily business, so I need my tools and spare parts) I'd prefer to keep things to the absolute simplest - a direct flight. But I'm also a total cheapass. Oh, and planes that look like they're falling apart make me nervous, too.

So far I've managed to bash out the following options from just about every resource the internet has to offer:

Frontier Airlines. BWI/LAX. Change planes @ Denver Intl. $228 round trip.
America West Airlines. BWI/LAX. Stop in Phoenix (PHX). Stay on plane. $229 round trip.
United Airlines: BWI/LAX. Nonstop. $389 round trip.
American Airlines. IAD/LAX. Nonstop. $288 roudn trip. B737-800.
Southwest: BWI/LAX. Nonstop. $404+ round trip (WTF? They're usually cheap. I guess this route sucks)
Continental: BWI/LAX. Change planes at Houston (IAH) on outbound trip, change planes at Cleveland (CLE) on return trip. $395 round trip. B737-800, B757, B757-300.
Continental: IAD/LAX. Connect in Houston (IAH), Cleveland(CLE) $299 round trip. Includes turboprop commuter aircraft.
JetBLUE IAD/LGB non-stop. $256.90 round trip.

I'm definitely leaning towards JetBlue. Fearsomely cheap, direct flight, brand spanking new aircraft, satellite TV.

 

[K1052]

American Airlines. IAD/LAX. Nonstop. $288 roudn trip. B737-800.

Nonstop is really the way to go, when possible.

 

[midwestfisherman]

I'd go with the AA option.

 

[Albis]

America West Airlines. BWI/LAX. Stop in Phoenix (PHX). Stay on plane. $229 round trip.


If you are a cheap ass, one stop where you stay on board doesn't seem bad at all to me.

 

[Legendary]

Originally posted by: K1052

American Airlines. IAD/LAX. Nonstop. $288 roudn trip. B737-800.

Nonstop is really the way to go, when possible.

Seconded.

 

[kami333]

AA, it's only $60 more expensive and probably a lot quicker.

btw, DO NOT PACK ANYTHING VALUABLE IN CHECKED LUGGUAGE. Always carry it with you. Especially if it is something you need for business.

 

[EyeMWing]

Originally posted by: Albis
America West Airlines. BWI/LAX. Stop in Phoenix (PHX). Stay on plane. $229 round trip.


If you are a cheap ass, one stop where you stay on board doesn't seem bad at all to me.

Yes, but is $59 really worth the possibility that a few grand in gear is going to end up cruising the skies to Jamaica?

 

[StageLeft]

Always go with cheapest or most convenient. I could not give less of a damn about which airline I fly with. They all are safe and all equally suck my balls in terms of comfortable seats, so just go with cheapest/most convenient.

 

[awal]

Originally posted by: Albis
America West Airlines. BWI/LAX. Stop in Phoenix (PHX). Stay on plane. $229 round trip.


If you are a cheap ass, one stop where you stay on board doesn't seem bad at all to me.

:thumbsup:

 

[EyeMWing]

Originally posted by: kami333
AA, it's only $60 more expensive and probably a lot quicker.

btw, DO NOT PACK ANYTHING VALUABLE IN CHECKED LUGGUAGE. Always carry it with you. Especially if it is something you need for business.

Hrm, good thought. Unfortunately that would mean... Two laptops, an 802.11g router and 4 HDD's in my carryon. The baggage screeners would look at me like I'm insane. I'll definitely have to check (or FedEx) my tools, since many of them have sharp edges.

 

[kami333]

Originally posted by: EyeMWing

Originally posted by: Albis
America West Airlines. BWI/LAX. Stop in Phoenix (PHX). Stay on plane. $229 round trip.


If you are a cheap ass, one stop where you stay on board doesn't seem bad at all to me.

Yes, but is $59 really worth the possibility that a few grand in gear is going to end up cruising the skies to Jamaica?

It can happen regardless. Flying San Franscisco to Osaka direct, bags somehow ended up in Newark. Changing flights does add the risk of bags being delayed, not just misdirected.

 

[StageLeft]

Originally posted by: EyeMWing

Originally posted by: kami333
AA, it's only $60 more expensive and probably a lot quicker.

btw, DO NOT PACK ANYTHING VALUABLE IN CHECKED LUGGUAGE. Always carry it with you. Especially if it is something you need for business.

Hrm, good thought. Unfortunately that would mean... Two laptops, an 802.11g router and 4 HDD's in my carryon. The baggage screeners would look at me like I'm insane. I'll definitely have to check (or FedEx) my tools, since many of them have sharp edges.

It's less of an issue if you're staying domestic. I had a bunch of stuff lifted from checkin when coming back from cuba, and now I only check in things I can afford to lose. Fvcking cubans!

 

[sfgtwsac]

Forget LAX. It's a nightmare. Take JetBlue from IAD to LGB (Long Beach). Long Beach airport is small and efficient, and its only a little south of LAX. Trust me on this one, I grew up in LA and have lived in the Washington area since 1988. I've flown countless times into LAX, but recently switched to Long Beach. I won't go back to LAX unless I absolutely have to for scheduling or fare reasons.

BTW, JetBlue on your dates is $256.90.

Just a couple of notes on the flights you've selected:

America West -- if you care about your checked bags, do not take them -- especially with a connection.
American -- The 737-800 is a good plane, and I would choose the non-stop.
Continental -- too convoluted a route -- skip it.
UA -- United is over priced on that route. Check their Dulles fares. They run a lot more IAD-LAX flights.
Southwest -- the fare will probably come down, its just that your dates are a ways off.

Finally, everything you want to know about the planes, airlines, flights, etc. has probably been asked and answered at FlyerTalk.

Good luck.

EDIT: Fixed spelling

 

[Yossarian]

as long as you're staying on the plane if you connect through another airport I wouldn't worry about losing checked bags. that's only really a concern if you have a short layover and are changing planes. keep in mind that the "baggage handlers" will be throwing your cases around.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: K1052

American Airlines. IAD/LAX. Nonstop. $288 roudn trip. B737-800.

Nonstop is really the way to go, when possible.

 

[kami333]

Originally posted by: EyeMWing

Originally posted by: kami333
AA, it's only $60 more expensive and probably a lot quicker.

btw, DO NOT PACK ANYTHING VALUABLE IN CHECKED LUGGUAGE. Always carry it with you. Especially if it is something you need for business.

Hrm, good thought. Unfortunately that would mean... Two laptops, an 802.11g router and 4 HDD's in my carryon. The baggage screeners would look at me like I'm insane. I'll definitely have to check (or FedEx) my tools, since many of them have sharp edges.

That's pretty standard gear for me. Trust me, they've seen it before.

I flew one time to Copenhagen from JFK with a Shuttle XPC, 4 SATA HDs (ordered for work), my personal back up NAS, 3 digital cameras and 1 camcorder with their various accessories. That was in my rolling carry-on. I had two more laptops in my briefcase.

Yeah, TSA hates me. Last time I flew out of Chicago it took them 20min and 5 passes through the xray before they let my bags through. And I promplty had to go back out again to buy some duty free.
One guy in Frankfurt had a look of horror on his face one time, I can imagine since I had a rolling carry-on full of cables and random electronic devices.

 

[HardcoreRobot]

of the ones you listed, AA

i have no airline preference, but that seems like the cheapest for the quickest flight

 

[EyeMWing]

Originally posted by: sfgtwsac
Forget LAX. It's a nightmare. Take JetBlue from IAD to LGB (Long Beach). Long Beach airport is small and efficient, and its only a little south of LAX. Trust me on this one, I grew up in LA and have lived in the Washington area since 1988. I've flown countless times into LAX, but recently switched to Long Beach. I won't go back to LAX unless I absolutely have to for scheduling or fare reasons.

BTW, JetBlue on your dates is $256.90.

Just a couple of notes on the flights you've selected:

America West -- if you care about your checked bags, do not take them -- especially with a connection.
American -- The 737-800 is a good plane, and I would choose the non-stop.
Continental -- too convoluted a route -- skip it.
UA -- United is over priced on that route. Check their Dulles fares. They run a lot more IAD-LAX flights.
Southwest -- the fare will probably come down, its just that your dates are a ways off.

Finally, everything you want to know about the planes, airlines, flights, etc. has probably been asked and answered at FlyerTalk.

Good luck.

EDIT: Fixed spelling

Awesome link. Will definitely look into Long Beach, it might be a better option since it's a little bit closer to my ultimate destination. Even more ideal would be Torrance Municipal, but I don't think anyone flies airliners into there.

 

[Uppsala9496]

United. IAD-LAX. $288.40
Lots of departure options for you to choose from.

 

[JoeKing]

Try Sidestep for ticket info. They have a "few" Jetblue (very nice and new planes) options for cheap

especially if you're willing to go through LGB, though I know you said that LAX was a requirement. LAX can be a mad house. But a quick glance showed me they offer many direct flights to LAX for around $250

 

[KingNothing]

I vote Frontier because:

1) it's the lowest price
2) Denver INTL is a cool airport
3) When you fly on Frontier you get to watch the stewardesses do a synchronized safety pantomime. It's pretty funny.

 

[Mill]

If Jetblue is an option you'd be a fool not to fly them.

 

[sfgtwsac]

Originally posted by: EyeMWing

Originally posted by: sfgtwsac
Forget LAX. It's a nightmare. Take JetBlue from IAD to LGB (Long Beach). Long Beach airport is small and efficient, and its only a little south of LAX. Trust me on this one, I grew up in LA and have lived in the Washington area since 1988. I've flown countless times into LAX, but recently switched to Long Beach. I won't go back to LAX unless I absolutely have to for scheduling or fare reasons.

BTW, JetBlue on your dates is $256.90.

Just a couple of notes on the flights you've selected:

America West -- if you care about your checked bags, do not take them -- especially with a connection.
American -- The 737-800 is a good plane, and I would choose the non-stop.
Continental -- too convoluted a route -- skip it.
UA -- United is over priced on that route. Check their Dulles fares. They run a lot more IAD-LAX flights.
Southwest -- the fare will probably come down, its just that your dates are a ways off.

Finally, everything you want to know about the planes, airlines, flights, etc. has probably been asked and answered at FlyerTalk.

Good luck.

EDIT: Fixed spelling

Awesome link. Will definitely look into Long Beach, it might be a better option since it's a little bit closer to my ultimate destination. Even more ideal would be Torrance Municipal, but I don't think anyone flies airliners into there.

Yeah, FlyerTalk is a great resource.

Torrance Municipal is obviously a no go.

One other factor to consider, if you have to rent a car, the car rental facility is literally across a small street from the terminal at LGB.

 

[Yossarian]

Originally posted by: sfgtwsac

Originally posted by: EyeMWing

Originally posted by: sfgtwsac
Forget LAX. It's a nightmare. Take JetBlue from IAD to LGB (Long Beach). Long Beach airport is small and efficient, and its only a little south of LAX. Trust me on this one, I grew up in LA and have lived in the Washington area since 1988. I've flown countless times into LAX, but recently switched to Long Beach. I won't go back to LAX unless I absolutely have to for scheduling or fare reasons.

BTW, JetBlue on your dates is $256.90.

Just a couple of notes on the flights you've selected:

America West -- if you care about your checked bags, do not take them -- especially with a connection.
American -- The 737-800 is a good plane, and I would choose the non-stop.
Continental -- too convoluted a route -- skip it.
UA -- United is over priced on that route. Check their Dulles fares. They run a lot more IAD-LAX flights.
Southwest -- the fare will probably come down, its just that your dates are a ways off.

Finally, everything you want to know about the planes, airlines, flights, etc. has probably been asked and answered at FlyerTalk.

Good luck.

EDIT: Fixed spelling

Awesome link. Will definitely look into Long Beach, it might be a better option since it's a little bit closer to my ultimate destination. Even more ideal would be Torrance Municipal, but I don't think anyone flies airliners into there.

Yeah, FlyerTalk is a great resource.

Torrance Municipal is obviously a no go.

One other factor to consider, if you have to rent a car, the car rental facility is literally across a small street from the terminal at LGB.

Torrance, lol I can get you a good deal on a Cessna ride, but it will take about 2 full days to reach your destination

 

[EyeMWing]

Originally posted by: sfgtwsac

Originally posted by: EyeMWing

Originally posted by: sfgtwsac
Forget LAX. It's a nightmare. Take JetBlue from IAD to LGB (Long Beach). Long Beach airport is small and efficient, and its only a little south of LAX. Trust me on this one, I grew up in LA and have lived in the Washington area since 1988. I've flown countless times into LAX, but recently switched to Long Beach. I won't go back to LAX unless I absolutely have to for scheduling or fare reasons.

BTW, JetBlue on your dates is $256.90.

Just a couple of notes on the flights you've selected:

America West -- if you care about your checked bags, do not take them -- especially with a connection.
American -- The 737-800 is a good plane, and I would choose the non-stop.
Continental -- too convoluted a route -- skip it.
UA -- United is over priced on that route. Check their Dulles fares. They run a lot more IAD-LAX flights.
Southwest -- the fare will probably come down, its just that your dates are a ways off.

Finally, everything you want to know about the planes, airlines, flights, etc. has probably been asked and answered at FlyerTalk.

Good luck.

EDIT: Fixed spelling

Awesome link. Will definitely look into Long Beach, it might be a better option since it's a little bit closer to my ultimate destination. Even more ideal would be Torrance Municipal, but I don't think anyone flies airliners into there.

Yeah, FlyerTalk is a great resource.

Torrance Municipal is obviously a no go.

One other factor to consider, if you have to rent a car, the car rental facility is literally across a small street from the terminal at LGB.

Nobody in the right mind would rent a car to an 18 year old. I'll be driving an F-250 (gas, since apparently you can't register a diesel in CA). I'm going to be spending more money on gas than I am on the flights.