Los Angeles to San Juan Flight Experience

[Ready4Cruise]

I'll be flying from Los Angeles to San Juan, Puerto Rico for my next cruise on the Serenade. I plan to fly out a few days in advance and stay in old San Juan. I may stay a few days after the cruise too if it simplifies flight arrangements. I know flight schedules change but:

 

Can anyone tell me what they consider the best flight arrangements are out of Los Angeles to San Juan (especially in the Jan/Feb time frame when there may be snowstorms in the eastern U.S.)?

 

Thanks

 

Art

[wanderlust79]

We just got home to the LA area from San Juan about a week ago. No question, your best bet is a red eye nonstop to SJU. Sleep, sleep, sleep all the way there and then you have a full day in San Juan!

 

As for the return trip, it depends on how well you tolerate 7 hours (give or take) on a plane. If you don't mind, the nonstop is a great choice. If you need a break, a layover in Miami is ideal. We unfortunately wound up with a return trip stopping in DC, nearly doubling our travel time. Ugh! In the past we stopped in Miami and it was swell.

 

Have a great time. You'll love San Juan and the Serenade!! :D

[MarlboroBell]

American flies nonstop. But beware -- even on a seven-hour flight there is NO FOOD. (They may have a few, and I mean a few, shelf-stable meals for purchase.) Obviously that's less of an issue on the red-eye, but coming back you'll need to be aware of this...

[Alexis]

We have flown from Vegas to San Juan many times on American.

We always try to get the red eye's out at about 11:00 PM at night.

We have to do a layover in Miami, where we get breakfast and then on to San Juan getting there at a decent hour. That way you can still enjoy the day.

Do not fly an airline that makes you to connect anywhere more North, like Denver, Chicago, Ohio, etc. Some of them do that and that is where you will catch the snow storms. Always try to get across the country non stop.

Try your best to get a direct to Miami, or if lucky enough, all the way to San Juan. ;)

[Pumbaamd]

What's wrong with stopping over in DC? We only recently had a period of four feet of snow in six days. So, what's the problem? We flew out and back from DCA for our Mariner cruise from San Pedro.

 

Seriously, we were very fortunate that the DC airport re-opened in time for our flight to LAX and the Mariner of the Seas.

 

If you have a choice, change in Miami!!!

 

R&D

[Ready4Cruise]

All,

 

Thank you for your suggestions. I like the idea of a non-stop but have an aversion to evening flights because of the increased possibility, at the end of the day, of the plane you need to fly-out on arriving late or not coming in at all.

 

Thank you

 

Art

[DrmnOfMaui]

We flew Continental last summer and got a good deal with air/hotel combo. It did stop in Miami. I am not a red eye person, so we actually left San Diego in the morning and had about 1 1/2 hours in Miami then off to San Juan. Worked very well for us.