Flight Times

[Texasopa]

Arriving on the Solstice at 7 am. Is it unwise to try to make a 11:35 am departure at SEATAC ? Or is it quite doable?

 

Thanks

[CruiserBruce]

A little reading on the board would reveal it's pretty tight to do a 11:35 flight. First, docking at 7 doesn't mean getting off at 7:05. When we were last there, we docked at 7:15, nobody got off before 8:45.

 

Second, traffic and the security procedures at SeaTac can be pretty slow.

 

Common recommendation here is flights after noon.

[Texasopa]

A little reading on the board would reveal it's pretty tight to do a 11:35 flight. First, docking at 7 doesn't mean getting off at 7:05. When we were last there, we docked at 7:15, nobody got off before 8:45.

 

Second, traffic and the security procedures at SeaTac can be pretty slow.

 

Common recommendation here is flights after noon.

 

Thanks for your help.

[mapleleaves]

An 11:35 flight should be fine.

Here is my standard line:

- either pier is about a 30 minute drive to SeaTac, but give it an hr due to road and tunnel construction, sports events, city events, and general lousy Seattle traffic

- for a domestic flight you MUST be at the airport at least 2 hrs prior to departure.

- therefore for an 11:30am flight you need to be OFF the ship and sitting in a cab by 8:30am. Reserve a taxi rather than wait in the taxi line.

 

Don't cut it any closer. SeaTac is extremely busy in the summer, especially on cruise days when thousands of cruise passengers are told to go to SeaTac at noon or later.

And keep in mind that at SeaTac you can go in any TSA line, not just the one closest to your gate. So if one line is long, check the other 2.

[Texasopa]

An 11:35 flight should be fine.

Here is my standard line:

- either pier is about a 30 minute drive to SeaTac, but give it an hr due to road and tunnel construction, sports events, city events, and general lousy Seattle traffic

- for a domestic flight you MUST be at the airport at least 2 hrs prior to departure.

- therefore for an 11:30am flight you need to be OFF the ship and sitting in a cab by 8:30am. Reserve a taxi rather than wait in the taxi line.

 

Don't cut it any closer. SeaTac is extremely busy in the summer, especially on cruise days when thousands of cruise passengers are told to go to SeaTac at noon or later.

And keep in mind that at SeaTac you can go in any TSA line, not just the one closest to your gate. So if one line is long, check the other 2.

 

Thanks. I have an alternate plan if I don't make it. I'll take a later flight if I don't. The 11:35 is the only non stop. A stop adds an additional hr or 2.

[kenish]

Thanks. I have an alternate plan if I don't make it. I'll take a later flight if I don't. The 11:35 is the only non stop. A stop adds an additional hr or 2.

 

A few things to keep in mind:

 

If you miss your flight (i.e. a "no show"), you could forfeit the original ticket and be required to purchase a very expensive, last-minute "walk-up" fare. In the past, airlines have provided a "flat tire" waiver for passengers who got to the airport late and missed their flights. Nowadays airlines are maximizing their revenue, and this is becoming uncommon unless you have premiere status with the airline or randomly catch a good agent in a good mood.

 

Planes are flying very full...."the next flight" with availability may not be the next flight. As a "no show" you will be very low on the priority list for rebooking.

 

Just raising awareness on potential flaws in "Plan B". It's a good plan if money is not an issue and/or you have very high status with the airline.

Edited February 17, 2015 by kenish

[Texasopa]

A few things to keep in mind:

 

If you miss your flight (i.e. a "no show"), you could forfeit the original ticket and be required to purchase a very expensive, last-minute "walk-up" fare. In the past, airlines have provided a "flat tire" waiver for passengers who got to the airport late and missed their flights. Nowadays airlines are maximizing their revenue, and this is becoming uncommon unless you have premiere status with the airline or randomly catch a good agent in a good mood.

 

Planes are flying very full...."the next flight" with availability may not be the next flight. As a "no show" you will be very low on the priority list for rebooking.

 

Just raising awareness on potential flaws in "Plan B". It's a good plan if money is not an issue and/or you have very high status with the airline.

 

My tickets are not refundable, but are changeable, as long as I give notice at least 10 minutes before flight time. But you are right that I would probably have a hard time finding a seat on a later flight.

[kenish]

My tickets are not refundable, but are changeable, as long as I give notice at least 10 minutes before flight time.

 

Southwest's "10 minute rule" is a tiny bit less than AA, UA, DL, etc. who allow cancellation right up to the scheduled departure minute. "10 minutes or lose it" applies only to Gotta Get Away fares....however if *any* single leg (used or unused) on your ticket is a GGA fare, the rule applies even if the missed flight is a higher fare level.

 

If you cancel your flight on any of the major airlines, a credit will be applied to a later flight, as you know. However fare for the later flight will almost certainly be a last-minute "walk up" fare. Southwest's one advantage is they don't charge a change fee.

 

You may already be aware of all this...just making sure since Southwest's "plain English" approach is great but there's often a lot of underlying details.

Edited February 17, 2015 by kenish

[Keith1010]

Take a flight 1:00 PM.

 

If you book an earlier one and miss it you have a high risk of not getting on another one since flights run full.

 

And why spend part of your cruise worrying about this.

 

Keith