San Diego Airport starting to earn its "International" claim (Pittsburg: vs, wealthy)

[sdlife619]

Originally Posted by Losfrisco

I'm glad we got this European connection but I agree with your sentiment. I live in Point Loma, yet must drive to Los Angeles for reasonable flight accommodations to Pittsburgh (a city a fifth of the size of San Diego that manages to have four runways and skyscrapers over 800 feet because the airport isn't downtown).

The double edge sword of having an airport in Downtown is perfect as far as location goes, but brutal becauses it's so small and it can't expand. The other downside like you mentioned is SD's buildings are short for city of our size. They are also unimaginative or even eye popping, bland and stale is more like it. Seeing massively tall skyscrapers is a sight to behold. It's an incredible feeling walking next to building like that.

Another problem with flying out of SD, is that it's so expensive. There's been many times I had friends drive me up to LAX to fly out of there because I can save a few hundred dollars per flight by flying out of LAX vs SD! So if you're willing to save some money, it's better to go up to L.A. because flying in or out of SD can be very costly..

[sdurbanite]

Originally Posted by Joseph_Hotto

What I would really like to see is SAN to have a 787 flying to Beijing: I know a large amount that live here that regularly go to China, but have to stop in LAX or SFO.

You can already fly from nonstop from Tijuana to Shanghai. And now that the new pedestrian bridge/terminal is open at the border, you don't even have to drive across the border.

I'm surprised the 747 to Heathrow is able to take off without destroying a couple homes in Point Loma!

BA uses a 777 into SD, not a 747.

Originally Posted by losfrisco

I'm glad we got this European connection but I agree with your sentiment. I live in Point Loma, yet must drive to Los Angeles for reasonable flight accommodations to Pittsburgh (a city a fifth of the size of San Diego that manages to have four runways and skyscrapers over 800 feet because the airport isn't downtown).

There used to be a nonstop from SD to PGH back when US Air was still around. And actually, LA just brought back the route earlier this year. Before that, SF had the only nonstop from the West Coast. And sure Pittsburgh may have 4 runways, but SD airport handles way over twice as many passengers.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o..._United_States

[elchevere]

I think you might have meant Panama City, where Copa Airlines is based and has connecting flights to the Caribbean, Central America, and South America, no?.

Originally Posted by sdurbanite;44513614


Don't be surprised if one of the next international destinations from SAN will be to San Jose, Costa Rica. From there you can get to many places in South America. And Philippine Airlines has been trying to add San Diego for awhile now. Not sure how that's going, though

[url=http://centreforaviation.com/analysis/philippine-airlines-to-expand-long-haul-operation-after-completing-a350-900-acquisition-268000

Philippine Airlines to expand long haul operation after completing A350-900 acquisition | CAPA - Centre for Aviation[/url]

[T. Damon]

Originally Posted by sdurbanite

You can already fly from nonstop from Tijuana to Shanghai. And now that the new pedestrian bridge/terminal is open at the border, you don't even have to drive across the border.


BA uses a 777 into SD, not a 747

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o..._United_States

Around Easter BA changed its SD nonstop to and from Heathrow from the 777 to the 747-400. Apparently they worked around the difficulties of landing a fully loaded and fueled airliner back into Lindbergh field upon a takeoff emergency. They used to take off a 1/2 fueled 747 (I'm not sure what model), land and fuel up at Sky Harbor Phoenix before continuing on, and then changing over to the nonstop 777 several years ago.

We watch the 747 come in every evening, tonight from the Bird Park concert in North Park.

The 777 is actually probably a better plane to take with its 3-3-3 seating configuration, we've taken a couple of times and it is quite comfortable- fortunately we've always been able to split three seats between the two of us so that helps.

[LamarOdomsDealer]

Originally Posted by LuvSouthOC

Avios are British Airways points, and yes, although I have enough for a 'free' trip, there are lots of taxes. I used to fly to London often, but like you said, redeeming the points is painful.

I have a ton of American Airlines' miles. They are partners with BA and BA charges an insane amount not on the ticket itself but the taxes and fuel charge (one of those lol)!!! I was in for a shock LOL.

I used to have airline credit cards to accumulate points but it's not that much of a savings to me since I don't have the best schedule to just fly off somewhere. I usually get stuck with flights with bizarre connections =(

[mixxalot]

I am curious, does the TJ airport have direct flights to major hubs in South America like Buenos Aires and Sao Paolo? That would be easier than having to connect from SD to Miami to these places.

[sdurbanite]

Originally Posted by elchevere

I think you might have meant Panama City, where Copa Airlines is based and has connecting flights to the Caribbean, Central America, and South America, no?.

I'd love it if Copa flew direct from SD to Panama City. I actually flew Copa from Houston (Via Panama City) to Buenos Aires. I had read something about SD Airport working on getting a flight to Central America and figured it was to San Jose, CR. I'd be happy with either destination, though.

Originally Posted by T. Damon

Around Easter BA changed its SD nonstop to and from Heathrow from the 777 to the 747-400.

Didn't know they had changed the type of plane recently. I took the flight last year on the 777 and found it to be quite nice. Guess I gotta plan another trip so I can compare it to the queen of the skies

The Queen Of The Skies Flying To San Diego! - One Mile at a Time

Originally Posted by mixxalot

I am curious, does the TJ airport have direct flights to major hubs in South America like Buenos Aires and Sao Paolo? That would be easier than having to connect from SD to Miami to these places.

When I first heard about the cross border pedestrian bridge, the first thing I did was check the nonstops from TJ. Unfortunately, they don't have any flights to SA. I think they used to have a nonstop to Havana at one time. Would be great if the TJ started adding more international destinations.

[elchevere]

No...you need to connect through Mexico City....I've looked at going this route to So America on my previous trips to Argentina, Brazil and Colombia. Expensive and, surprisingly, not great connections and/or required an overnight stay to catch a flight the next morning. Better off driving up to LA or connecting through Dallas, Houston, or East/East Coast cities.

Originally Posted by mixxalot

I am curious, does the TJ airport have direct flights to major hubs in South America like Buenos Aires and Sao Paolo? That would be easier than having to connect from SD to Miami to these places.

[L-Costa]

Great news. Now would love to see another one European legacy airline e.g. Lufthansa, KLM, Air France, etc. landing in SAN.

[Joseph_Hotto]

[quote=sdurbanite;44546892]
BA uses a 777 into SD, not a 747.


BA started using 747's into San Diego this March