which airport?
Dec 31st, 2008, 03:55 PM
#1
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which airport?
We're going to CA in August and plan on doing some touring between San Diego and San Francisco. When I was playing around with sites for airline tickets I found flying into Orange County and out of San Jose to be $100 cheaper per person than flying into San Diego and out of San Fran (which was cheaper than the other way around). Are Orange County and San Jose doable if we want to also see San Diego and San Fran or would it include a lot of back and forth driving?
Dec 31st, 2008, 04:13 PM
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Of the two using San Jose for SF would be more reasonable than using Orange County for San Diego.
You can't beat the convenience of San Diego airport - 5min drive to downtown. San Jose is only about 45-50min drive from SFO, so you're not too far out of the way.
The disadvantage of San Jose, however, is what to do with your rental car. In SF you can drop off your car at a downtown location upon arrival rather than paying for parking, then you can take BART right to the SF Airport.
I also find that San Diego has some of the cheapest car rental prices anywhere. Dollar is consistently very cheap. Be sure to factor in any added rental car cost from Orange County, and any one way car rental fees, if any.
I use www.orbitz.com for rental car comparison shopping then book directly from the rental car co website.
It's a bit early to count on the best airfare deals for next August - you may find that flights you really want are less. From where are you flying? I often do open jaw ticket into SFO and out of San Diego and it's no more than a round trip to either.
You can't beat the convenience of San Diego airport - 5min drive to downtown. San Jose is only about 45-50min drive from SFO, so you're not too far out of the way.
The disadvantage of San Jose, however, is what to do with your rental car. In SF you can drop off your car at a downtown location upon arrival rather than paying for parking, then you can take BART right to the SF Airport.
I also find that San Diego has some of the cheapest car rental prices anywhere. Dollar is consistently very cheap. Be sure to factor in any added rental car cost from Orange County, and any one way car rental fees, if any.
I use www.orbitz.com for rental car comparison shopping then book directly from the rental car co website.
It's a bit early to count on the best airfare deals for next August - you may find that flights you really want are less. From where are you flying? I often do open jaw ticket into SFO and out of San Diego and it's no more than a round trip to either.
Dec 31st, 2008, 04:15 PM
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That's odd, because flying into Orange County is usually MORE expensive. Have you checked flying into San Diego and out of San Jose? Orange County airport is about 85 miles from San Diego, so that's a fair amount of extra driving. San Jose airport is about 35 miles south of San Francisco airport, which itself is about 15 miles south of San Francisco. How many people are you talking about and how many days will you have? Also, have you checked the difference in car rental costs (if any)?
Jan 1st, 2009, 09:53 AM
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I think Ontario airport is OC's best-kept secret. It's small-ish, efficient, close to the freeways, and I've found much cheaper rates going in and out of there when I go to SoCal from New England.
Two of my friends are SoCal natives, one in Marina Del Ray and one in Yorba Linda, and I've converted them to being Ontario believers.
Two of my friends are SoCal natives, one in Marina Del Ray and one in Yorba Linda, and I've converted them to being Ontario believers.
Jan 1st, 2009, 10:27 AM
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The OP said she would be travelling between SF and SD, comparing prices at various airports. Ontario was just one more option I thought she could consider as she is planning her itinerary and her routes.
It's a little misleading to say that Lindbergh is 5 mins to/from downtown-- it is if you are taking a cab or your hotel has a shuttle, but it isn't if you're dropping off or picking up a rental car AND you don't know your way around those crazy streets down there, which can be confusing if you don't live there.
Factor in the tourists in August for traffic, car rental spots, airport lines, and it's as bad as any other big city airport.
If you're a tourist, the drive to Ontario has unusual, beautiful scenery,too.
It was just a suggestion!
It's a little misleading to say that Lindbergh is 5 mins to/from downtown-- it is if you are taking a cab or your hotel has a shuttle, but it isn't if you're dropping off or picking up a rental car AND you don't know your way around those crazy streets down there, which can be confusing if you don't live there.
Factor in the tourists in August for traffic, car rental spots, airport lines, and it's as bad as any other big city airport.
If you're a tourist, the drive to Ontario has unusual, beautiful scenery,too.
It was just a suggestion!
Jan 1st, 2009, 10:35 AM
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mahlquist, I don't understand your comment about Lindbergh and downtown. It IS 5 miles from downtown (or less, actually), 3 from Seaport Village, 3 from Balboa Park. I just don't know what you mean.
Jan 1st, 2009, 11:13 AM
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To clarify:
Taking OP by her words "touring between San Diego and San Francisco." and "a lot of back and forth driving?", the best possible option (south to north) is
A) flying into San Diego SAN
B) flying home from San Francisco airport SFO or Oakland airport OAK (about equal in getting into SF city - SFO has a slight edge because OAK involves a shuttle bus to get to BART, but SFO requires taking the airport train to BART, also not always quick).
For that you use the multi-city (not roundtrip or one-way) option on search sites like www.kayak.com etc.
Second-best option in the south: The world's most confusingly named airport Santa-Ana SNA/John Wayne/irvine/Orange County
It takes an hour and a half to drive down to San Diego from SNA, and there is not really an alternative route that you could rationalize as being NOT "a lot of back and forth driving" since you'll be coming back up this way on your way north to LA and eventually to San Francisco.
Second-best option in the north: San Jose SJC airport.
If you plan your drive north to follow a route that you will not backtrack again when eventually heading to San Jose (about an hour from central San Fran) for your flight home, then you could rationalize this as a valid option.
Ontario ONT airport could certainly be a valid option if the flight turns out to be a lot cheaper - from ONT you can drive to San Diego along the 15 or the 215, with stops in nice places, and later take the obvious route north, the 5, avoiding any backtracking - so you'd do a bunch of sightseeing on the way down from Ontario that you probably would want to do otherwise while based in San Diego. Get Lake Elsinore and Temecula and Escondido and all that taken care of on the way down - why not?
A straight drive from ONT to SD takes about two hours, but you can make a sightseeing drive out of it, maybe even with an overnight stop in the mountains, maybe on a detour to Julian before then heading into San Diego the next day.
So these are your options - as to how much money you save, that's for you to figure out.
Taking OP by her words "touring between San Diego and San Francisco." and "a lot of back and forth driving?", the best possible option (south to north) is
A) flying into San Diego SAN
B) flying home from San Francisco airport SFO or Oakland airport OAK (about equal in getting into SF city - SFO has a slight edge because OAK involves a shuttle bus to get to BART, but SFO requires taking the airport train to BART, also not always quick).
For that you use the multi-city (not roundtrip or one-way) option on search sites like www.kayak.com etc.
Second-best option in the south: The world's most confusingly named airport Santa-Ana SNA/John Wayne/irvine/Orange County
It takes an hour and a half to drive down to San Diego from SNA, and there is not really an alternative route that you could rationalize as being NOT "a lot of back and forth driving" since you'll be coming back up this way on your way north to LA and eventually to San Francisco.
Second-best option in the north: San Jose SJC airport.
If you plan your drive north to follow a route that you will not backtrack again when eventually heading to San Jose (about an hour from central San Fran) for your flight home, then you could rationalize this as a valid option.
Ontario ONT airport could certainly be a valid option if the flight turns out to be a lot cheaper - from ONT you can drive to San Diego along the 15 or the 215, with stops in nice places, and later take the obvious route north, the 5, avoiding any backtracking - so you'd do a bunch of sightseeing on the way down from Ontario that you probably would want to do otherwise while based in San Diego. Get Lake Elsinore and Temecula and Escondido and all that taken care of on the way down - why not?
A straight drive from ONT to SD takes about two hours, but you can make a sightseeing drive out of it, maybe even with an overnight stop in the mountains, maybe on a detour to Julian before then heading into San Diego the next day.
So these are your options - as to how much money you save, that's for you to figure out.
Jan 1st, 2009, 11:56 AM
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SF7307: My point is that is "5 minutes" as long as you don't have to actually drop off/pick up a rental, go through check-in and security lines during peak times/seasons, and if you are familiar with the crazy streets surrounding the airport. If you are a first-time tourist it is NOT a "5 minute" airport at all.
Jan 1st, 2009, 12:05 PM
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Mahlquist, really, I'm not trying to pick a fight, but in Ontario, you have to take a shuttle to the rental car facility, which adds time there, too. I do not live in San Diego, but yes, I've been there a fair number of times. I find the roads pretty easy to navigate.
Jan 1st, 2009, 01:37 PM
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Because Ontario is smaller, it's quicker and easier to navigate and the shuttles and the lines are not as congested. When I travel for my work, which is often, I am happy to navigate whichever airport the company sends me to. But when I'm on vacation, it's always nice to have options. That's what the original poster was asking for.
As for the streets right around Lindbergh, I bet if you asked the people who live in the neighborhood above the airport (think Sassafrass Street) they could tell you how many puzzled faces in rental cars they see!
As for the streets right around Lindbergh, I bet if you asked the people who live in the neighborhood above the airport (think Sassafrass Street) they could tell you how many puzzled faces in rental cars they see!
Jan 1st, 2009, 01:39 PM
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as you say, you've been there a 'fair number of times'--so have I. I grew up on Pt Loma and used to fly in and out of SD a couple of times a year. But if you haven't been there in a long time, or have never been there before, those few blocks are as confusing as some of the streets in Boston are.
Jan 1st, 2009, 03:16 PM
#16
I'll bet all those travelers whose planes are diverted to Ontario when the fog is bad in San Diego these days really appreciate how convenient it is. LOL!
The route from Ontario to San Diego is very busy every day of the week. At rush hour, there may be traffic backups all the way south to Temecula. IMO, and I live here now and have for a long time, Ontario is not a reasonable alternative to either San Diego airport or Orange County airport if your destination is San Diego.
The route from Ontario to San Diego is very busy every day of the week. At rush hour, there may be traffic backups all the way south to Temecula. IMO, and I live here now and have for a long time, Ontario is not a reasonable alternative to either San Diego airport or Orange County airport if your destination is San Diego.
Jan 2nd, 2009, 09:36 AM
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Just let me repeat: The OP was looking for OPTIONS, especially cheaper airports. They're going on vacation. They can plan their route around a convenient, cheaper airport that might seem out-of-the-way or inconvenient to the natives.
On our first trip to Ireland, we flew into Belfast and departed from Cork. There were people who thought we were nuts. It turned out to be pleasant, cheaper, and very convenient to route our trip that way.
OPTIONS.
On our first trip to Ireland, we flew into Belfast and departed from Cork. There were people who thought we were nuts. It turned out to be pleasant, cheaper, and very convenient to route our trip that way.
OPTIONS.
Jan 2nd, 2009, 11:18 AM
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I agree with mahlquist.
Sometimes the people who live in a certain place can only see that place through their resident tunnel vision. So what if they live there and have to travel a freeway when it is congested?
A tourist may have the luxury of traveling at noon, may not be in a hurry (on vacation!), totally prepared to find an alternative route if necessary, might actually enjoy getting to see the region even if slowly and via detours (they lead to discoveries!), and might appreciate hints about alternatives, to make a utilitarian trip into a fun experience.
All those are options, so let’s suggest options rather than treating OP’s needs as if they were on a business trip where every minute counts and only the strictest and most obvious of plans is valid.
Vacations, options, fun - remember those?
Sometimes the people who live in a certain place can only see that place through their resident tunnel vision. So what if they live there and have to travel a freeway when it is congested?
A tourist may have the luxury of traveling at noon, may not be in a hurry (on vacation!), totally prepared to find an alternative route if necessary, might actually enjoy getting to see the region even if slowly and via detours (they lead to discoveries!), and might appreciate hints about alternatives, to make a utilitarian trip into a fun experience.
All those are options, so let’s suggest options rather than treating OP’s needs as if they were on a business trip where every minute counts and only the strictest and most obvious of plans is valid.
Vacations, options, fun - remember those?
Jan 2nd, 2009, 11:53 AM
#20
DalaiLlama,
As you are clearly referring to me, let me inform you that when I have driven between Ontario and San Diego it was only once during rush hour, and that was returning home from a visit to the Huntington Library. Most other trips via Ontario were on weekend days, and the traffic was very heavy. None of these were business trips and I was for all intents and purposes a tourist at those times.
It is disappointing that you consider local knowledge to be "tunnel vision" if it doesn't agree with you.
I have found that even tourists are reluctant to spend any more time in slow-moving or even stationary freeway traffic than they absolutely have to. Most tourists do have places to get to and do not have unlimited time for side trips which take them out of their way and may not be interesting just to avoid busy freeways.
"Options" have to be reasonable. I could suggest that Tucson airport is also smaller and quicker to get out of, there is a longer drive to their destination, San Diego, but for a tourist on vacation it may be interesting. That would be a ridiculous suggestion in this case, though.
It would be helpful to know how many days the OP is spending on touring between San Diego and San Francisco.
As you are clearly referring to me, let me inform you that when I have driven between Ontario and San Diego it was only once during rush hour, and that was returning home from a visit to the Huntington Library. Most other trips via Ontario were on weekend days, and the traffic was very heavy. None of these were business trips and I was for all intents and purposes a tourist at those times.
It is disappointing that you consider local knowledge to be "tunnel vision" if it doesn't agree with you.
I have found that even tourists are reluctant to spend any more time in slow-moving or even stationary freeway traffic than they absolutely have to. Most tourists do have places to get to and do not have unlimited time for side trips which take them out of their way and may not be interesting just to avoid busy freeways.
"Options" have to be reasonable. I could suggest that Tucson airport is also smaller and quicker to get out of, there is a longer drive to their destination, San Diego, but for a tourist on vacation it may be interesting. That would be a ridiculous suggestion in this case, though.
It would be helpful to know how many days the OP is spending on touring between San Diego and San Francisco.
