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I just randomly plugged in RDU - LAX for June 26th through 30th and got this:
Delta #1025 7:30 pm - 10:02 pm RDU - LAX
Delta #1131 10:25 pm - 6:14 am LAX - RDU
Same dates, only flight choices available via SkyBus (from Greensboro):
Depart:
Greensboro/Winston-Salem/High Point, NC to
Los Angeles (Burbank, CA) Thu, Jun. 26, 2008: Flight 525
Leaves - 6:15 AM
Arrives - 8:23 AM
Return:
Los Angeles (Burbank, CA) to
Greensboro/Winston-Salem/High Point, NC Mon, Jun. 30, 2008: Flight 526
Leaves - 8:48 AM
Arrives - 4:25 PM
Prices
Passenger 1 $280.00
Taxes & Fees* $16.50
Total price of this trip: $296.5
Seems pretty affordable to me . . . and I'd much rather drive the first leg than fly a connection. Driving it is much less likely to end up delayed than ANY flight (not to mention bag connections, etc).
Eventually (5-10 years?) there will be more than one airline serving a direct RDU-LAX and other west coast routes. Since time=money, and saving time=less hassle and more family time, I'll always pay the $50 premium to fly non-stop when the option exists.
I fly out to L.A. every month or so and used Delta quite frequently. Until the prices got out of hand for the direct flight. That was my first clue that things would change. Obviously, it has. However, I enjoyed the flight immensely not having to deal with a stop. But L.A. also became a non-convenient airport for me since my other home is in south Orange County. Now, I fly either into John Wayne or San Diego.
I flew JetBlue before just to see what it was like. We were delayed in NY. Great flight though. Love the cable and screens behind each headrest. Though I didn't like having to fly north to fly west. Long connection and flight.
Burbank is a nice airport and convenient to get in and out of. Though it can take a while getting through security there, too, when boarding. Long Beach was amazing and by far the smallest and easiest airport to fly into and out of. I'm liking John Wayne, but it can get crazy there. San Diego is very easy to fly out of especially if flying on Southwest. Security is a breeze, and fast.
My mother lives in LA, and after I move to Raleigh, I'll probably fly to LAX through Memphis. My mileage is with Northwest, so they're my first choice. It's also a straight line, rather than going north or south out of your way. I like the MEM airport, and it's easier changing there than say, Detroit. Of course, if the Delta nonstop is available and cheap, how can I pass that up?
My mother lives in LA, and after I move to Raleigh, I'll probably fly to LAX through Memphis. My mileage is with Northwest, so they're my first choice. It's also a straight line, rather than going north or south out of your way. I like the MEM airport, and it's easier changing there than say, Detroit. Of course, if the Delta nonstop is available and cheap, how can I pass that up?
Thx, Suncat, I'll check them out. I'm flying my mother in law on Northwest next week. I'll ask her how it was. Price was great, however.
Just wanted to mention that Skybus has filed for Chapter 11. As of right now there is NO DIRECT FLIGHT to Southern California from the Raleigh area.
I am so bummed, I have a 1 year old and stopping over is absolutely miserable with him. All our family and friends live in Orange County, I am hoping someone soon will be offering a non-stop flight, we go back every Christmas
And American Airlines has just announced that in September they will discontinue the daily nonstop between RDU and Austin -- so it's back to changing in DFW, or Atlanta if you fly Delta.
The non-stop service with American to DFW has increased in cost by 25% just in the last few weeks. Air Tran's tickets are significantly less and they have recently acquired 52 new 737's.
Even Southwest's rates have gone up significantly in the last few weeks, though they never offered non-stop to Los Angeles that I know of. Gas prices. It's hitting us all very hard in all places and fronts. Ugh. What a shame. Maybe when the international terminal is completed and our economy, gulp, improves, we may see a non-stop to Los Angeles again.
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