Cruise from Baltimore. Fly home from Reagan airport 11 15 am flight. Doable?

[healthworker]

This would be in June coming off grandeur. Would carry luggage off. What is traffic like on a Saturday morning to get to Reagan? We would take Uber. I know Baltimore airport is closer but only direct flight is late in day

[Host Carolyn]

There is no way I'd book a flight before 1:00 pm even with luggage taken off.  We have cruised Grandeur several times and returned on the weekend -- that's no certainty there won't be back ups on the loops etc with road work, accident, weather (traffic crawls in heavy rain).  You "Should" be okay in theory but I'd take the later flight from BWI, read a good book while I waited and not stress over it.

[markeb]

Traffic on a random Saturday morning months from now? Could be 45 minutes or 4 hours. We had snow and ice this week, but on two different mornings large sections of the Beltway were all but shutdown for major accidents. And this happens year round, with near perfect weather to bad weather. If the Parkway has issues, I-95 will backup to compensate, and vice versa.

 

I'd seriously take my time getting off the ship, head for BWI, and relax. If it's really late, then consider renting a car or doing a ship's tour with airport drop off in the Baltimore area.

Edited January 20, 2019 by markeb

[healthworker]

thank you for the responses.

 

sounds like the Washington traffic is similar to ours, with unexpected road closures all over the place,detours,etc.

[SRF]

DC traffic varies from bad to horrible.  About the only time with light traffic is between 2:30 and 3:30 in the MORNING.  After the bar people are home, but before the early birds head to work.

 

When I drove to work (not too far from Reagan), it took between 1 hour 15 to 2 hours.  Coming home, 1.5 to 4 hours.  

 

Once accident, and traffic will come to a STOP.

 

 

[healthworker]

My decision has been made. Won’t chance it. Thank you all!

[mskaufman]

On 1/20/2019 at 9:58 AM, healthworker said:

This would be in June coming off grandeur. Would carry luggage off. What is traffic like on a Saturday morning to get to Reagan? We would take Uber. I know Baltimore airport is closer but only direct flight is late in day

 

Even though your mind has been made up note that Uber is a potential problem at the port in Baltimore.  The port was not letting cars into the port to drop people off until the parking lot cleared of departing passengers.  Our Uber driver had people for the next cruise so couldn't get into the port.  Had to cancel and take a taxi.

[SRF]

3 hours ago, mskaufman said:

 

Even though your mind has been made up note that Uber is a potential problem at the port in Baltimore.  The port was not letting cars into the port to drop people off until the parking lot cleared of departing passengers.  Our Uber driver had people for the next cruise so couldn't get into the port.  Had to cancel and take a taxi.

 

How would this affect the OP?  They are getting OFF the ship.

[Valentina84]

I'm an Uber driver in my spare time. I know the traffic well on a saturday from baltimore to reagan. If your flight is at 11 am then you need to be at airport about 1.5 hours prior. Reagan is a very small airport and not so busy on saturday mornings at all. If it was sunday i would say don't do it. It would take about 50-60 min drive to Reagan at around 830 am. Given of course you are off the ship by then with your luggage. You would arrive at around 930. This plan is if everything goes according to plan in a perfect world. I know the OP said she changed plans but this info is for those in the future who might find this helpful. I'm glad OP changed flights. 

[mskaufman]

On 1/22/2019 at 10:44 AM, SRF said:

 

How would this affect the OP?  They are getting OFF the ship.

The Uber assigned to us was assigned as it was on the way to the port bringing passengers for the next cruise. The driver was unable to enter the port (even though we were getting off the ship).  Even if the Uber did not have passengers going to the ship, it would have been caught up in the traffic trying to get into the port and probably would not have made it to the front of the line in a timely manner.