Travel Thread

[Shyster]

I'm handling all of the flights for my parents and MIL for next year's vacation, and it looks like my MIL is going to luck out. The best option for her flight is actually on a 777 from DFW. Same goes for her return. I'm actually kinda jealous.

Depends on the airline and what class she'd be flying. While Boeing originally designed the 777 for a 9-abreast 3–3–3 configuration in economy, the vast majority of 777 operators have chosen to go to a 10-abreast 3–4–3 layout for their 777 economy seats, and that might actually be a worse experience than other options. For example, according to seatguru.com, American's 777 "Main Cabin" seats vary from 16.2–17.1 inches wide with 31–32 inches of legroom. American's "Main Cabin" seats on a 737-800 are 16.9–17.3 inches wide with 31 inches of legroom. So while a 777 might, for example, be quieter than a 737, the actual dimensions of the seat you get are no different than being on a narrowbody.

[NTP66]

It is a 3-4-3 configuration, but I’ve never experienced the quietness of a 777, which is what I’m jealous of. I asked her if she had ever been on a large plane before (she’s a country bumpkin from Kansas), and she laughed and said yes. She described to me an E175.

[Shyster]

That's one reason I'm doubtful that Boeing will suffer any long-term fallout from the MAX debacle. A lot of people have said they wouldn't ever fly on a MAX, but my experience is also that a lot of people aren't able to tell you whether they were on an Airbus or a school bus. I once had a discussion about a flight with my aunt (a very smart former doctor) where I asked her what she'd flown on, and I eventually got down to the question, "Well, did it have propellers or jet engines?" and the answer was still "I don't know."

[Shyster]

It's a long way's off, and stuff could always change, but my SIL's mother has said that she wants to make another trip to Japan in 2020 in late August or early September, and I'm expressly invited to go along. So hopefully around this time next year I'll be getting ready to head off to Tokyo. I'm hoping to be on a 777 myself; this time I want to fly premium economy on either JAL or ANA.

[Orlando Penguin]

Go about two weeks earlier and you will be flush in the middle of Olympics madness.

[Shyster]

Yeah, I think she actually needs to move her dates a little later anyway because I think she might be forgetting that the Paralympics follow the Olympics, and I believe those games run through the first week of September. Although the Paralympics aren't going to generate nearly the same level of crowds, they're still going to draw a whole lot of people.

[NTP66]

TIL that car rental agencies add an additional fee to your bill if you have your frequent flyer account linked with them. I have no idea how the hell I never noticed this before today, but the fee isn't worth the miles. It took two phone calls to Budget to get it resolved.

[shafnutz05]

We left South Nags Head at 4:55 this morning, and we were in our driveway at 11:05. We made great time, especially over the first few hours of the trip. I will never understand the mentality of families/people that hang around, have breakfast, and start the long drive home later in the morning. That is insane to me.

[shafnutz05]

On another note, they had one hell of a beach remediation effort going on in Nags Head. There was a crew working 24/7 to replenish the beach--the ship sat about a half mile off shore and just pumped in a F-ton of sand that it had picked up from a few miles out. We got very, very lucky--on the day that we left, they moved the entire operation right down in front of our house. I would have been royally pissed if I checked into my home after a long drive, took that wonderful first step onto the deck, and saw a bunch of construction equipment and sht outside.

[AuthorTony]

I will never understand the mentality of families/people that hang around, have breakfast, and start the long drive home later in the morning. That is insane to me.

Maybe they want to enjoy the last vestiges of their vacation...

My dad would always cut out of sporting events early to beat the parking lot/after game traffic. Gotta beat the crowd...

[NTP66]

Yeah, I generally have no issues with having a nice meal before heading out on the road, especially for a long ride.

[dodint]

On another note, they had one hell of a beach remediation effort going on in Nags Head. There was a crew working 24/7 to replenish the beach--the ship sat about a half mile off shore and just pumped in a F-ton of sand that it had picked up from a few miles out. We got very, very lucky--on the day that we left, they moved the entire operation right down in front of our house. I would have been royally pissed if I checked into my home after a long drive, took that wonderful first step onto the deck, and saw a bunch of construction equipment and sht outside.

A frame this performance art "Glimpse of a NIMBY."

[shafnutz05]

It's obviously necessary work. But cmon.... You wouldn't be disappointed to see a major construction zone in front of your oceanfront house for the entire week?

[tifosi77]

Yeah, I generally have no issues with having a nice meal before heading out on the road, especially for a long ride.

We usually don't check out until lunch time. So breakfast and lunch before setting off for home are usually expected components of a weekend getaway.

Chances are good if we've driven somewhere, it's still relatively close. Like Santa Barbara, or when we were up in SF it'd be Sonoma; generally no more than a 2-hr drive one-way. We had a ghastly experience several years ago where we drove to Vegas for Christmas, and because of accidents and construction it was 8 hours. Each way. Never again. Since then, if the time it takes to drive is more than the normal time to deal with airport stuff+flight time, we fly. It's worth the cost to us. Time can't be won back.

[dodint]

It's obviously necessary work. But cmon.... You wouldn't be disappointed to see a major construction zone in front of your oceanfront house for the entire week?

*ahem*

[shafnutz05]

Re: leaving early, the drive from the OBX to eastern PA is generally more sucky in the middle of the day. We cut an hour off the time it took us to get down there. If we are only an hour or two away, different story.

[DigitalGypsy66]

I know it's only a couple of hours' drive, but we started going back the night before to beat the Saturday morning traffic out of Myrtle or Hilton Head. If you think about it, you really don't do much that last morning - you have to be out of the rental house by 10 or so, and it's easier packing up and getting one more good meal before heading out.

[NTP66]

I get leaving Dirty Myrtle early. Hilton Head, though... you disappoint me!

[NTP66]

So, Premium Economy in AA or United is anywhere between a $70-$116 upgrade for most longer flights. Delta, though? $178 on all of the flights I've searched for my MIL. **** insane. I may just bite the bullet and use miles for her tickets knowing that I have no choice but to buy the upgraded seating.

[shoeshine boy]

So, Premium Economy in AA or United is anywhere between a $70-$116 upgrade for most longer flights. Delta, though? $178 on all of the flights I've searched for my MIL. **** insane. I may just bite the bullet and use miles for her tickets knowing that I have no choice but to buy the upgraded seating.

yeah, I've noticed that Delta's Comfort+ prices have really jumped in the last few years. it used to be reasonable enough that, depending on flight length I'd do it. for my flight to Hawaii they wanted $154 extra per flight (non stop to HNL) and I was actually considering it but it's 2 months away and upgraded seats on the outbound flight (767) are already sold out.

[NTP66]

So, Premium Economy in AA or United is anywhere between a $70-$116 upgrade for most longer flights. Delta, though? $178 on all of the flights I've searched for my MIL. **** insane. I may just bite the bullet and use miles for her tickets knowing that I have no choice but to buy the upgraded seating.

yeah, I've noticed that Delta's Comfort+ prices have really jumped in the last few years. it used to be reasonable enough that, depending on flight length I'd do it. for my flight to Hawaii they wanted $154 extra per flight (non stop to HNL) and I was actually considering it but it's 2 months away and upgraded seats on the outbound flight (767) are already sold out.

Yeah, you're way past the point of having access to upgraded seats, IME. Our trip is still 11 months away, but I', grabbing award tickets at 331 days out for the best redemption, and paying for Main Cabin Extra on our LAX/OGG legs. I have a short window to book my MIL's ticket using miles, and honestly, I'm already going to be using more miles now because I hesitated. These stupid hacker fares would have been acceptable if it wasn't for the Comfort+ price gouging.

[Orlando Penguin]

Delta’s got a great racket going with their Comfort+ crap. I don’t feel like you’re getting anything extra from an accommodations standpoint except if you like to booze it up (I don’t...I’m the world’s worst first class passenger). I have the option to ask for upgrades to Comfort+ and I turn it down every time. Whenever my flights get booked, I immediately go to the site and grab an exit row seat. If I have that Comfort+ upgrade box checked, there’s a chance I get bumped from my exit row seat to a middle seat in Comfort+? No thanks. And now I see these prices they’re asking for those ‘upgrades’. Uh, pass.

[NTP66]

The biggest benefit is the extra 3" of leg room. And even that is **** compared to the competition. AA gives you 6" of extra legroom on most flights. I'm only looking for MCE/Comfort+ to ease my MIL's travel. This will be the first time that she's been on a flight longer than 2 hours.

[DigitalGypsy66]

I get leaving Dirty Myrtle early. Hilton Head, though... you disappoint me!

But the traffic out of Hilton Head on a Saturday morning is pretty horrendous. It easily doubles the time, compared to off-season. You usually fly out of Savannah(?), so you don't "experience" the pleasure.

Myrtle has a (slightly) better road network for leaving the coast, but the sheer number of people trying to get to I-95/I-20 is pretty staggering.

[NTP66]

Just getting to the highway in MB is horrendous, IMO. You southern drivers are the absolute worst (THE GAS PEDAL IS ON THE RIGHT). At least with HH, you only have to really deal with 278 traffic for a bit. I've made the drive from PA to HH for many years in prime summer time, and it was never that bad. Having higher speed limits on I95 in that area certainly helps.