Why do you still use sfo or oak airports? (San Jose: living, prices)

[Chimérique]

Originally Posted by marcopolo666

I've actually flown out of SMF more recently than OAK.

Now you got me wondering, why would a bay area resident even think about driving all they way to SMF?

What town or area(if don't want to name the town you live in) would you be coming from?

SMF has had a marketing campaign for the last few years pushing its use for Napa and Solano County residents. By the way, their Billboard signs along 80 are lame for one reason, you have no idea what airport they are talking about as they don't use the word "Sacramento" or "SMF" in the Ad they just assume you know what airport they are talking about.

[ambient]

I can only assume as a rational explanation for this thread that OP is employed at the Sacramento Airport.

Here's an idea: people will figure out which airport makes sense for them based on their proximity, personal preferences, and this thing called "the internet" that lets you easily compare flight options and fares. There is no problem here that needs solving.

[Chimérique]

Originally Posted by ambient

I can only assume as a rational explanation for this thread that OP is employed at the Sacramento Airport.

Here's an idea: people will figure out which airport makes sense for them based on their proximity, personal preferences, and this thing called "the internet" that lets you easily compare flight options and fares. There is no problem here that needs solving.

Threads are not created just to solve problems they are there to provide information.

Thankfully, others have been thoughtful enough to actually answer with relevant and useful responses. If you have nothing constructive to offer, no need to respond to the thread at all, signed the OP.

[Chimérique]

Originally Posted by Nn2036

If you have to take long international flight, you cannot afford to miss the connection. I rather drive to the airport for direct flight than risk delay and missed connection.

It's also possible for your SFO non-stop to Europe to be delayed or missed and there is the added stress of driving to SFO from Sacramento and missing your flight because of Bay Area traffic.

Yes, it is understandable to fly out of SFO non-stop to Europe, but I have never missed an international connection when flying to any of the big hubs from Sacramento (SMF) onto Europe.

I've flown Sacramento(SMF) non-stop to various different hubs to make that ONE connection in either Dulles(DC), NYC-Newark-Liberty, Atlanta, ORD(Chicago), MPS(Minneapolis), DFW, Houston, and JFK onto Europe and I have never missed the European flight because I made that ONE connection.

[18Montclair]

Originally Posted by Chimérique

It's also possible for your SFO non-stop to Europe to be delayed or missed and there is the added stress of driving to SFO from Sacramento and missing your flight because of Bay Area traffic.

Yes, it is understandable to fly out of SFO non-stop to Europe, but I have never missed an international connection when flying to any of the big hubs from Sacramento (SMF) onto Europe.

I've flown Sacramento(SMF) non-stop to various different hubs to make that ONE connection in either Dulles(DC), NYC-Newark-Liberty, Atlanta, ORD(Chicago), MPS(Minneapolis), DFW, Houston, and JFK onto Europe and I have never missed the European flight because I made that ONE connection.

I cant stand even 'ONE' connecting flight.

[2sleepy]

Originally Posted by Chimérique

It's also possible for your SFO non-stop to Europe to be delayed or missed and there is the added stress of driving to SFO from Sacramento and missing your flight because of Bay Area traffic.

Yes, it is understandable to fly out of SFO non-stop to Europe, but I have never missed an international connection when flying to any of the big hubs from Sacramento (SMF) onto Europe.

I've flown Sacramento(SMF) non-stop to various different hubs to make that ONE connection in either Dulles(DC), NYC-Newark-Liberty, Atlanta, ORD(Chicago), MPS(Minneapolis), DFW, Houston, and JFK onto Europe and I have never missed the European flight because I made that ONE connection.

I will never, ever fly international on anything other than a direct flight. I've taken international flights with a connection and it was so F'd up I hate to think about it. Car rental agency closed when we got there, no way to get to our hotel 100 miles from the Airport unless we got a cab ride that would have cost a fortune. NO! I.will.not.do that.ever.again.

[Chimérique]

Originally Posted by 18Montclair

I cant stand even 'ONE' connecting flight.

Thats why it's AWESOME that SMF has NON-STOPS to just about every city domestically, and to the major hubs several Non-Stops.

Sacramentans are accustomed to using SFO especially for International non-stops just like everyone else in NorCal.

But SMF is following OAK's and SJC's lead in providing incentives to international airlines such as Air Canada's new non-stop SMF-Vancouver, BC coming in a few months. Other international SMF non-stop destinations, besides additional Mexican cities, are on the list.

[Chimérique]

Originally Posted by 2sleepy

I will never, ever fly international on anything other than a direct flight. I've taken international flights with a connection and it was so F'd up I hate to think about it. Car rental agency closed when we got there, no way to get to our hotel 100 miles from the Airport unless we got a cab ride that would have cost a fortune. NO! I.will.not.do that.ever.again.

I assume you mean Non-Stop, (direct flights can actually stop somewhere before going on to the final destination).

You must have bad luck because its always worked out fine for us. WE Never EVER needed to rent a car because we made ONE connection.

[JohnS_15]

I love SMF. I flew to Cancun on Southwest last year via LA and it was so easy to just park in the economy lot 20 minutes from my house. I've also taken the bus a couple of times from downtown Sac - there's an express bus that goes to Davis via Woodland and stops at the airport. And I've taken Lyft or Uber and it's so easy and the airport itself is awesome.

However, like others that have posted on this thread... for most international trips to Asia or Europe I'll fly out of SFO or OAK. I'd rather get a non-stop flight to London on a major international airline like Virgin or British Airways out of SFO than fly American Airlines or United from SMF stopping in some place like Houston or Chicago and having delay issues and ****ty in-flight service. Sure you could take a cheap flight to LA and transfer to a big non-stop international flight but by the time you've arrived to the airport early and taken the flight and picked your bags back up and transferred over to the international terminal, worried about being delayed etc. you might as well of just driven or taken the train to SFO or OAK. Off-site airport parking is not that expensive if you are only away a short time or stay with friends or even an airport hotel the night before or you can sometimes find cheap one-way car rentals.

Do you work for the airport? I've never seen someone quite so enthusiastic about an airport before!

[Nn2036]

Originally Posted by Chimérique

It's also possible for your SFO non-stop to Europe to be delayed or missed and there is the added stress of driving to SFO from Sacramento and missing your flight because of Bay Area traffic.

Yes, it is understandable to fly out of SFO non-stop to Europe, but I have never missed an international connection when flying to any of the big hubs from Sacramento (SMF) onto Europe.

I've flown Sacramento(SMF) non-stop to various different hubs to make that ONE connection in either Dulles(DC), NYC-Newark-Liberty, Atlanta, ORD(Chicago), MPS(Minneapolis), DFW, Houston, and JFK onto Europe and I have never missed the European flight because I made that ONE connection.

International Flights are rarely canceled from SFO (very expensive for carrier, big plane, lot of passengers,etc).

If my international flight is canceled, I can just simple drive home.

If I miss my connection to my international flight elsewhere, I have to try to find hotels, rental car,etc in unfamiliar cities.

If my connection is tight, I will have to run in these big airports trying to make my connection. Too much stress.

I have never missed the European flight because I made that ONE connection.

You are luckier than a lot of us.