chchtrain

Hi everyone. I desperately need advice for how to get from LA to Rochester, Minneseota cheaply. I will arrive in LA on Oct 4 at 5.40pm. Is there any airline I can take on Oct 5 to go to Rocheseter apart from Northwest and American? Northwest is my preferred route. It goes from LA to Minneapolis and with a 1 1/5 hour wait, we can connect to Rochester. The fare for roundtrip is around 850. For 2 persons it is very hefty. Is there any other budget airline that flies this route? Please help. Thanks.

mrwunrfl

You can try changing your return flight. I checked for outbound on Oct. 5 and return to LAX on the 17th and saw fares of around $510 to Rochester MN (RST).

You would be better off just flying to Minneapolis and then taking a shuttle. For Oct. 5-17, the fares are $215 on America West and $245 on Northwest.

Basically, you are spending $200+ to fly the 70 miles from MSP to Rochester. It would be cheaper to take a taxi. You could also rent a car. Here are two more options:

http://www.rochesterexpress.com/
http://www.rochesterdirect.com/

mrwunrfl

Ok, it would be $200+ (more like $250) for the 140 miles from MSP to Rochester and return. That would be per person.

chchtrain

Thank you so much for your suggestion that I go by road to rochester. I checked out the rochesterexpress and rochesterdirect which is a more detailed website . The mini bus seems comfortable and nice. However their schedules are identical. Any suggestion which one is a better choice? How much would a taxi cost us to go to Mayo clinic from the airport?

mrwunrfl

I've never been to MSP or Rochester, so I don't know what those shuttles are like. Probably little, if any, difference.

Taxis here in Northern Virginia cost $2.25 for the first quarter mile and $0.40 for each quarter mile after that, plus $2.25 airport fee. About 70 miles would be $117, so maybe that is not such a good idea! Still, at $234 round-trip for both of you it is stille $260 cheaper than flying.

For the taxi price, you might be able to get a luxury sedan limo rental. Not a stetch limo, but something like a Lincoln Town Car. Maybe get the chauffer to be standing at the arrival gate with a sign saying "chchtrain".

mrwunrfl

I just called a limo company in Minneapolis and got a quote from MSP to Mayo one-way for $120 plus tip.

chchtrain

May I have the tel of the limo company just in case we decide to go by limo? there are 3 of us. The tip is usually 15%? Thanks so much

mrwunrfl

Oh, I just went to www.anywho.com and searched for "Airport Limousine" in the name and Minneapolis MN. You might also try searching for Rochester MN. You can also search by category of "Airport Transportation".

The quote I got was for two people. May not be different for 3 people. I think I called the first number listed below, but here are a couple:

Airport Traveler Taxi & Limousine
(952) 736-0439

Taxicabs USA/Airport Limousine
3020 Minnehaha Ave
Minneapolis, MN 55406
952-927-4419

A Sphinx Taxi & Limousine Airport Service
Minneapolis, MN 55401
612-408-0100

A Davis Limousine Airport Express Service
(952) 882-1400

I don't know about the tip. $20 sounds right. Maybe $25 or $30 if some particular personal service was provided.

chchtrain

Oh my goodness. Just when I am about to make an internet booking for flights from LAX to Minneapolis, the fare has gone from 250 to 451 per person. How come the website does not give warning about booking dateline? What can I do?

mrwunrfl

What is your return date?

sandiego_navywife

Try www.suncountry.com. It is a charter company that I use to go from San Diego to Minneapolis frequently. They also fly out of Los Angeles. They are usually half the price of Northwest and are a nice reliable airline. They do fly at some funky, late at night times.

mrwunrfl

Sun Country Airlines is the lowest priced option today $236 for Oct 5-17 and is nonstop. NWA is the other nonstop but is $445.

Flyboy

Northwest can become very steep when you are planning within a seven day window and/or you don't have a Saturday night stay. Your best option might well be Sun Country and a rental car from Minneapolis. The MSP airport is on the south side of the city. It's about an hour and a half to Rochester and it's not a very difficult drive at all.