Transportation to Ports....what's your advice?

[rexy69]

Ok, since cruising is our favourite trip to go on, and we have to fly to get to any Port, which Airline do you recommend, since Spirit turned out to be a huge disappointment and we will never fly with them again.

We live in Canada, but always fly out of Detroit. I was unaware that Spirit was such a disliked company by so many people until I posted my issue regarding their service, here on Cruise Critic, and was surprised to see every reply be a negative one. It shocked me, as I've never had a problem with them, and we've flown with them every time. Since that's not in the cards anymore, which Airline should I be researching?

[Micahs Grandad]

We find flying to be a pain as it is so restrictive and chances of delays so great that we drive whenever feasible.

 

You didnt say where in Canada you are from but could you drive to NYC?

[mistycruiser]

She stated Detroit. I would recommend Southwest because baggage is free but no assigned seating. We always pay for Early Bird Boarding, $15 pp each way, but they will automatically hold you a check in spot. You won't find Southwest on other sites, only at Southwest dot com. You can also check for other carriers on some of the 3rd party sites to determine other options. I'll do that sometimes but always book via the actual airlines site. And as previously mentioned here often, fly in at least a day in advance.

[vwrestler171]

I use a 3rd party site and see which one is the cheapest from my preferred departure airport. I have flown with 3 different airlines. None is any better than the other. I prefer Jet Blue as they are a little nicer, but I have no issues with Delta or AA. I stay away from Spirt, Frontier, or Allegiant or any of the other true low cost carriers as they will get you with carry on fees, and any sort of comfort items you may have been accustomed too on other airlines.

Edited July 30, 2016 by vwrestler171

[rexy69]

We find flying to be a pain as it is so restrictive and chances of delays so great that we drive whenever feasible.

 

You didnt say where in Canada you are from but could you drive to NYC?

 

We live in Southern Ontario, 2 hours from Detroit. Unfortunately, NYC is quite far from us.

[purduemom1]

I suggest that you check all the carriers that serve your departure and arrival airports(avoiding those you do not want to fly) and choose the one with the schedule and price that is best for you. Since fares and schedules can vary with each trip you plan, trying to stick with just one carrier may not work out all that well.

[LHT28]

How about flights from Buffalo to where ever your departure port is?

Some people find it worth the drive

 

we live north of Toronto so just use Air Canada non stop to MIA

I hate connections & willing to pay a bit more to avoid them

Driving to the USA is the winter months to catch a flight is not for us

 

YMMV

[Twickenham]

Ok, since cruising is our favourite trip to go on, and we have to fly to get to any Port, which Airline do you recommend, since Spirit turned out to be a huge disappointment and we will never fly with them again.

We live in Canada, but always fly out of Detroit. I was unaware that Spirit was such a disliked company by so many people until I posted my issue regarding their service, here on Cruise Critic, and was surprised to see every reply be a negative one. It shocked me, as I've never had a problem with them, and we've flown with them every time. Since that's not in the cards anymore, which Airline should I be researching?

 

It really depends on where you plan on flying, and if you're interested in collecting frequent-flyer miles (which should be a consideration even for occasional flyers, although credit card bonuses are usually a much better source of miles).

 

What you have to realize is that Spirit is really a bare-bones, ultra-low-cost airline. Any of the legacy carriers, and even other LCCs such as Southwest and JetBlue, should be a step up.

 

And don't forget to consider Air Canada and WestJet out of your local airport - once you calculate the added expense and time of flying from DTW, they could be closer in price than you would have thought

[isaiahsnana]

I always fly Southwest and have never been disappointed. If there is a problem, it will be fixed on the spot and they have generous, non-punitive policies when it has been necessary for me to change flights. They usually have a large number of flights to my locations so if I am not in a hurry, I choose to be bumped to a later flight and collect the offers of free flights in exchange. My adult children and I have made several trips on SW free flights from choosing to do this. I have heard a lot of Delta horror stories of them changing flights without letting anyone know that would seriously hamper their travel plans.

[TruckerDave]

Detroit is one of Delta's major hubs. So if something goes wrong you (the airline) will have more choices to get you where you want/need to go. As far a southwest goes...do your research and don't fall for the bags fly "free" so they must be cheaper myth. Whet I lived in Houston, southwest was rarely cheaper than United even with bag fees. One trip I priced to Las Vegas, southwest wanted $300 more and had to make a stop while the Untied was a direct flight.

[waterbug123]

which Airline do you recommend, since Spirit turned out to be a huge disappointment and we will never fly with them again.

 

I've never had a problem with them, and we've flown with them every time. Since that's not in the cards anymore, which Airline should I be researching?

 

There is no single airline that is the best choice for everyone, so figure out what's most important to YOU. Is it price? Convenience of schedule? Frequent flyer program? Change/cancellation policy? etc. etc.

 

Also, I don't know what happened with Spirit, but I caution anyone about saying they will never fly a particular airline after one bad experience, especially if it's one that you've flown many times and never had an issue with prior (as you stated.) The reason is that if you fly any airline enough, you are bound to have a negative experience at some point, so if you keep saying "never again" when something bad happens, eventually you won't have any choices left.