Thoughts on flight choices

[KKB]

We always fly in day b4, morning flight. OMA-FLL

840am 45 min in STL, arrive 230

1115am 2.5 hrs MDW, arrive 7pm

Both have another flight to FLL later in day.

Normally I’d take the earlier flight but the layover in MDW sounds safer.

[SFCAcruiser]

For sure, the longer connection time is safer. You did not mention your travel dates, but if they are during the next few months, I would not select a 45 minute connection time at any airport, on any airline, in any class of service, with any status level. But that is just me. 

 

[Clay Clayton]

17 hours ago, KKB said:

We always fly in day b4, morning flight. OMA-FLL

840am 45 min in STL, arrive 230

1115am 2.5 hrs MDW, arrive 7pm

Both have another flight to FLL later in day.

Normally I’d take the earlier flight but the layover in MDW sounds safer.

To help me decide, I would check to see what the alternatives are at each airport if your inbound flight is late or the connecting one gets canceled or delayed. I always want the connecting airport with the most options. 

[KKB]

7 hours ago, Clay Clayton said:

To help me decide, I would check to see what the alternatives are at each airport if your inbound flight is late or the connecting one gets canceled or delayed. I always want the connecting airport with the most options. 

Both have exactly ONE  additional connecting flight to FLL.

MDW tends to have more delays than STL. 

I think I will go with the longer layover--gives bumper room for delays.

[Clay Clayton]

1 hour ago, KKB said:

Both have exactly ONE  additional connecting flight to FLL.

MDW tends to have more delays than STL. 

I think I will go with the longer layover--gives bumper room for delays.

At least from MDW you could go to ORD if you had to

[Globaliser]

9 hours ago, Clay Clayton said:

At least from MDW you could go to ORD if you had to

 

Although on the OP's airline of choice, that wouldn't achieve much on the day that I think that they're intending to travel.

 

There's actually another same-airline option from MDW, which is to fly to MIA late in the evening.

 

If things have gone so pear-shaped that the OP has to choose a last-minute option on a different airline, then it's true that ORD would offer more options to MIA.

[KKB]

12 hours ago, Clay Clayton said:

At least from MDW you could go to ORD if you had to

Excellent point tho not SWA.

Edited June 20, 2022 by KKB

[KKB]

2 hours ago, Globaliser said:

 

Although on the OP's airline of choice, that wouldn't achieve much on the day that I think that they're intending to travel.

 

There's actually another same-airline option from MDW, which is to fly to MIA late in the evening.

 

If things have gone so pear-shaped that the OP has to choose a last-minute option on a different airline, then it's true that ORD would offer more options to MIA.

Exactly--but pointing out the MIA route is important so I will look at those as backup as well--possibly even book with points while prices are low JUST to cover myself.

I've never had to work so hard on this, but I guess it's where we are.

Of course, I've never had so many cruises booked in the next 7 months...

[zdcatc12]

14 hours ago, KKB said:

Excellent point tho not SWA.

Why not, they fly out of ORD also.

[KKB]

11 hours ago, zdcatc12 said:

Why not, they fly out of ORD also.

Oh, yeah, I totally forgot they do now...tho there is no option showing that when i pull up schedules that day.

Oh, I see, they are all connections. But at least it is an option.

[Hawaiidan]

On 6/19/2022 at 2:28 PM, KKB said:

Both have exactly ONE  additional connecting flight to FLL.

MDW tends to have more delays than STL. 

I think I will go with the longer layover--gives bumper room for delays.

current ticket prices  are reflected in  the amount of connection time.    The longer the connection time the lower the fare   I always try for 1.5 hours domestic and 2 hours intl. ( that is going domestic to intl) and intl to domestic

[KKB]

22 minutes ago, Hawaiidan said:

current ticket prices  are reflected in  the amount of connection time.    The longer the connection time the lower the fare   I always try for 1.5 hours domestic and 2 hours intl. ( that is going domestic to intl) and intl to domestic

I just read a post from a flight attendant that says do NOT book anything with hour or less layover these days. 

We are flying/cruising monthly for the next several months. Changed every flight to morning, longest layover, with most options for connections later in the day.

4.5 hour layover in Midway a couple times isn't exciting...but less stressful than missing one's cruise.

[Globaliser]

24 minutes ago, Hawaiidan said:

current ticket prices  are reflected in  the amount of connection time.    The longer the connection time the lower the fare

 

Sometimes.

 

And usually, only by chance.

 

The only airline that I know of that does this systemically is QR.

 

Otherwise, an itinerary with a long connection time may be more expensive than one with a short connection time, if the flights concerned are more heavily booked and only more expensive fares are available on them.

[Hawaiidan]

2 hours ago, KKB said:

I just read a post from a flight attendant that says do NOT book anything with hour or less layover these days. 

We are flying/cruising monthly for the next several months. Changed every flight to morning, longest layover, with most options for connections later in the day.

4.5 hour layover in Midway a couple times isn't exciting...but less stressful than missing one's cruise.

Thats what airline clubs are for...  I had a 3.5 hour to Alaska in SFO layover. last week..   had a nice rest, good food and drink all  included...    If you fly a lot get  a membership.    or a CC that gives  you free passes  many of the clubs  are very nice now with great food selections and free drinks and cocktails. 

[Hawaiidan]

2 hours ago, Globaliser said:

 

Sometimes.

 

And usually, only by chance.

 

The only airline that I know of that does this systemically is QR.

 

Otherwise, an itinerary with a long connection time may be more expensive than one with a short connection time, if the flights concerned are more heavily booked and only more expensive fares are available on them.

my experience in the past year is ALL  the US carriers, and Star Alliance do this    The longer the total trip time  the lower the fare.... I have seen layover connections 10+ hours !

[KKB]

8 minutes ago, Hawaiidan said:

Thats what airline clubs are for...  I had a 3.5 hour to Alaska in SFO layover. last week..   had a nice rest, good food and drink all  included...    If you fly a lot get  a membership.    or a CC that gives  you free passes  many of the clubs  are very nice now with great food selections and free drinks and cocktails. 

Can be a challenge with some airports/gates SWA flies into.

TRUST ME—I WILL be looking into it!

[Hawaiidan]

Just now, KKB said:

Can be a challenge with some airports/gates SWA flies into.

TRUST ME—I WILL be looking into it!

That, sir is the flip side of flying Southworst....   the greyhound bus of the sky"   you get what you pay for is the adage.

[Globaliser]

13 hours ago, Hawaiidan said:

my experience in the past year is ALL  the US carriers, and Star Alliance do this    The longer the total trip time  the lower the fare.... I have seen layover connections 10+ hours !

 

Let's try a quick experiment. Entirely at random, Los Angeles to Fort Lauderdale, one-way, one-stop, 1 October 2022, United Airlines (because you mention Star Alliance). Sorted in order of total journey time (departure from LAX to arrival at FLL), the prices of the 30 fastest journeys are the following, which don't show any such pattern:

$408
$328
$596
$408
$443
$328
$328
$270
$328
$443
$328
$408
$368
$493
$443
$493
$443
$328
$328
$443
$408
$312
$328
$401
$408
$408
$328
$328
$428
$427
Source: ITA Matrix

[wowzz]

13 hours ago, Globaliser said:

 

Let's try a quick experiment. Entirely at random, Los Angeles to Fort Lauderdale, one-way, one-stop, 1 October 2022, United Airlines (because you mention Star Alliance). Sorted in order of total journey time (departure from LAX to arrival at FLL), the prices of the 30 fastest journeys are the following, which don't show any such pattern:

$408
$328
$596
$408
$443
$328
$328
$270
$328
$443
$328
$408
$368
$493
$443
$493
$443
$328
$328
$443
$408
$312
$328
$401
$408
$408
$328
$328
$428
$427
Source: ITA Matrix

Excellent piece of research.

It shows that  any claim made on here about airfares needs to be treated with suspicion, unless the individual in question can supply evidence, rather than just "experience", which means nothing.