Help Flying to Portland, Maine
 

Non-stop flights to Portland are rare and $$$. It has to be non-stop due to a reluctant flyer. Our plan is to spend a couple nights in Portland and drive to Acadia National Park for a few more nights. What other airports should I search? We are looking to travel in August for around 7 days. Boston looks to be the cheapest, but would the 2 hour drive be a nightmare in August? We love Boston, so that raises the issue how much time to budget for Portland and Acadia? I hate feeling rushed and like I spent my whole trip in a car. This is our first time in Maine. Thank you for your
feedback.

Manchester, NH perhaps?

You're coming from Chicago, right? United offers a nonstop flight to Bangor, Maine.

I'd note that my husband and I drove from Indianapolis to Acadia in September a few years ago. It was not a bad drive at all. Long, but not bad. We did it over two days.

Boston to Portland does not have to be a nightmare.

Outbound to Portland on a weekday, you shouldn't have any trouble if you leave Logan before 3.

Friday evening and Saturday before noon can be problematic because.

Inbound to Boston, expect delays at the Maine Turnpike tolls on Sunday afternoons and before 10AM on weekdays.

I would add up the cost of the flight to Boston and the rental car in Boston INCLUDING THE HUGE TAXES AND FEES and compare them to the same costs at Bangor, Manchester or Portland.

Bangor sounds awfully good on the face of it. It is a very quiet airport with very long runways so long distance freight and other flights can land to refuel.

Manchester is a much smaller airport than Boston. Travel during commuting hours wouldn't be too bad. But once you are on I95, there will be heavy traffic on Friday afternoons northbound, Sunday southbound.

A possible option would be to take a bus from Boston to Portland and get your rental car there. Pickup is right outside baggage claim. Bus will stop for a very short time at South Station before heading north. I use Concord Coach r/t from Concord NH to Logan. A problem might be the wait for the bus based on when your plane arrives. The Concord run is pretty much hourly. The bus driver will put all your luggage in the storage area.

Southwest has non-stop to Manchester.

Definitely check Southwest low fare calendar. There are nonstop flights from Chicago (midway) to Manchester NH in the $300 rt range. These do not show up on the consolidator sites like Kayak, Travelocity, etc.