Salutations ... if everything comes together, I might be visiting for All Hallows ... and I'm finalizing trip details this week. Any words of advice on the airports?
Hobby might be the likeliest because of pricing, but a friend also mentioned Bush or Austin.
Words of wisdom? I don't like flying blind so to speak ... and websites only offer so much information.
Grammercy!
Not Austin - it is 3 hours away!!!! IAH aka Bush would be the closest to TRF. Hobby would add about 30 - 45 minutes to the drive.
Quote from: Lady D1 on September 28, 2010, 01:04:23 PM
Not Austin - it is 3 hours away!!!! IAH aka Bush would be the closest to TRF. Hobby would add about 30 - 45 minutes to the drive.
I guess it depends on the day and time, I think I can do the 140 or so miles from Houston to Austin faster than I could go from Hobby to Plantersville! ::) But no, I would not go through Austin!
I'm assuming you are getting a rent-a-car and are camping or staying close to faire? Bush Intercontinental is the closest, but unless you are in a time crunch, like arriving the morning of faire or something, I'd save the money and go with Hobby.
Thanks. I'm guessing middle-ish of the day would be bets traffic wise? Middle-day flights work bets for me anyways since I have to plan for snow here in Colorado (forget white Christmas, traditionally we get white Halloweens!)
A friend is picking me up, and Hobby certainly has the cheapest flights!
Which day are you arriving, Thursday? If you fly into Hobby, you're going to be driving through Houston as oposed to around Houston, if you fly into IAH.
When our out of towners fly in they typically fly in to/ out of Bush. It's almost a straight shot to Magnolia from the airport. For us we can have one group take the flyers to Bush, while the rest takes down camp. By the time that camp is down, and they are on the road the airport people are meeting up with the caravan.
Quote from: Blushing on September 28, 2010, 01:51:33 PM
Thanks. I'm guessing middle-ish of the day would be bets traffic wise? Middle-day flights work bets for me anyways since I have to plan for snow here in Colorado (forget white Christmas, traditionally we get white Halloweens!)
A friend is picking me up, and Hobby certainly has the cheapest flights!
What side of town does the friend live on? Hobby is on the South side while IAH is on the North side? This could make a difference on arrival/departure time and the traffic flow.
They are at faire. They said to go for the cheapest airfare ... but driving time is worth something, I think.
I'm coming in Friday and leaving Monday ... couldn't take too much time off of work and I didn't want to wear out my welcome with friends.
I'll have to look at the fares in/out of Bush. If the difference is negligible, it might be worth it to avoid driving through Houston ... if it's anything like dealing with Los Angeles traffic!
Well, nothing like LA :o , midday Friday I'd think one could get from Hobby to the faire in about 90 minutes, straight up 45 to 1488 etc. But Bush would be easier for everyone.
Quote from: Blushing on September 28, 2010, 02:18:22 PM
I'll have to look at the fares in/out of Bush. If the difference is negligible, it might be worth it to avoid driving through Houston ... if it's anything like dealing with Los Angeles traffic!
OK, for some reason I read AHE and thought Thanksgiving. If you come in midday friday there will be traffic. It's not as bad as LA traffic, but it is an animal onto itself.
Tip: See if your friend has an ezpass (ez-tag, whatever it's called) if you are picked up at Bush. The cash tollbooths back up a bit in traffic.
Hobby is more user friendly ;D And the drive isnt soo bad (if you miss rush-hour traffic).
Ez-Tags are a must. If they don't have one I suggest making sure to have change. There are a couple of exact change lanes at each tollbooth stop and they tend to move a little faster than the full service lines.
Blush
I fly to TRF for four of the eight weekends from Phoenix, AZ. IAH/Bush is the clear choice for a few reasons. It's closer, offers more choices of flights, and puts you on the right side of town to avoid traffic, and trust me the trip up the beltway from Hobby can be a real bear if you catch an accident or slowdown. The downside?, rental cars are more expensive, the TSA folks are real turds, and the lines at IAH can be a chore to deal with.
Go through IAH, you won't regret it.
Marcos
Depending on where you are coming in from, it may be cheaper to fly into Bryan/ College Station. The drive isn't to bad from there either.
Otherwise, I would recommend IAH. The only time I've made it from my house (NW Houston, on one of the most common routes to faire) to Hobby or vice versa in less than an hour was really late at night, no rain (which can double or triple drive time), and driving faster than the speed limit (10 - 15mph faster). Even Google maps adds an hour + to drive time from there.
And to think I was more worried about snow causing travel-troubles on my end!
Thanks so much ... I'm checking fares tonight ... hopefully I can catch a deal to/from IAH.
As someone who does a lot of air travel, here are a few thoughts. If you fly Southwest you must fly into Hobby (HOU), they do not have gates at Bush (IAH). If you fly any full price airline, the opposite is true, you must fly into Bush and it will cost you a lot more. There are a few flights by other airlines into Hobby, but only a very small number. I live in Tomball, which is about 20 miles from IAH and I always fly SWA out of Hobby which is about 50 miles away. You will have a tough time beating SWA's fares and they usually cost hundreds less than the full price carriers, don't forget to factor in all of the fees they now charge for bags ($50 round trip for one, $120 for two), seat assignments and boarding. The extra drive time to and from HOU is nothing compared to the money saved unless you can track down a great deal online, but don't forget to add in those fees! If you fly in before 2 PM, you can usually avoid the worst of the traffic, Hobby is right off I-45, take that north until you hit FM 1488 or 105, this avoids all toll roads. There are better ways to go, but unless you are familiar with Houston, I-45 is the simplest route. If your friends are from the Houston area, they will know the best route to take. When you fly out on Monday though avoid rush hour between 7 and 10 AM, traffic can be murder. Hope this helps.
Quote from: Blushing on September 28, 2010, 10:50:05 PM
And to think I was more worried about snow causing travel-troubles on my end!
Thanks so much ... I'm checking fares tonight ... hopefully I can catch a deal to/from IAH.
If the exact time of your flights is not to much of an issue, you might also check Hotwire.com for discount prices if you find the ones in and out of IAH are too expensive.
Quote from: meauho on September 28, 2010, 09:02:08 PM
Depending on where you are coming in from, it may be cheaper to fly into Bryan/ College Station. The drive isn't to bad from there either.
...
I was also going to suggest Bryan / College Station, since I flew in and out of there on American Eagle (through Dallas to Little Rock, AR) when I was in school back in the mid-80's. However it may not be too convenient if you're not renting a car, but instead have friends down in Houston who are providing transportation.
Take Care,
David Baldock
Lets also keep in mind the traffic from the construction near the Woodlands and Conroe anytime after 4pm...
So it took me way too long to figure out that HOU and IAH were the same airport. I tried every trick I knew, but that airport was just too pricey.
And I want to visit TRF!
Southwest is the only airline that makes the trip possible ... I realize the location is not ideal, but every other airfare I found was $200+ more than the one on Southwest into Hobby. The flight in isn't direct, but the times should avoid most of the traffic, and give me flexibility if I have to deal with snow here.
Thanks so much for all your input. =) And see you for All Hallows!
I've been in one of those late October 3ft "Surprise!!! It snowed last night!" events, and until they get the plows out the roads can be all but invisible, particularly if you're outside the Boulder Valley. I'll be sending lots of Faire Weather juju your way! ;)
Quote from: Blushing on September 29, 2010, 05:47:27 PM
So it took me way too long to figure out that HOU and IAH were the same airport. I tried every trick I knew, but that airport was just too pricey.
Er, but IAH is Bush Intercontinental and HOU is Hobby Regional...?
Quote from: Aiacha on September 30, 2010, 07:55:41 AM
Quote from: Blushing on September 29, 2010, 05:47:27 PM
So it took me way too long to figure out that HOU and IAH were the same airport. I tried every trick I knew, but that airport was just too pricey.
Er, but IAH is Bush Intercontinental and HOU is Hobby Regional...?
That is correct. But I've noticed when trying to book flights before, if the airline only goes to one they sometimes mix up the info. Which only creates further confusion.
Specifically, Frontier has Bush labeled as HOU when you search routes ... which threw me for a loop. But that ticket was crazy exensive anyways.
Quote from: Blushing on September 30, 2010, 09:53:14 AM
Specifically, Frontier has Bush labeled as HOU when you search routes ... which threw me for a loop. But that ticket was crazy exensive anyways.
That's wierd, huh. Well, I found that sometimes the 'low-priced' airlines, aren't, in a lot of cases :)
Quote from: dbaldock on September 29, 2010, 10:20:49 AM
Quote from: meauho on September 28, 2010, 09:02:08 PM
Depending on where you are coming in from, it may be cheaper to fly into Bryan/ College Station. The drive isn't to bad from there either.
...
I was also going to suggest Bryan / College Station, since I flew in and out of there on American Eagle (through Dallas to Little Rock, AR) when I was in school back in the mid-80's. However it may not be too convenient if you're not renting a car, but instead have friends down in Houston who are providing transportation.
Take Care,
David Baldock
I suggested it because they said their friends would be going to pick them up from TRF - so it wouldn't be so bad.
Quote from: meauho on September 30, 2010, 02:33:43 PM
Quote from: dbaldock on September 29, 2010, 10:20:49 AM
Quote from: meauho on September 28, 2010, 09:02:08 PM
Depending on where you are coming in from, it may be cheaper to fly into Bryan/ College Station. The drive isn't to bad from there either.
...
I was also going to suggest Bryan / College Station, since I flew in and out of there on American Eagle (through Dallas to Little Rock, AR) when I was in school back in the mid-80's. However it may not be too convenient if you're not renting a car, but instead have friends down in Houston who are providing transportation.
Take Care,
David Baldock
I suggested it because they said their friends would be going to pick them up from TRF - so it wouldn't be so bad.
True, if her friends are leaving from the TRF site to pick her up, then driving through the countryside to Easterwood Airport should be much more pleasant than driving down to the Airports in Houston. :)
Like all my travels ... it probably will be interesting! =)
Quote from: Blushing on October 02, 2010, 03:46:58 AM
Like all my travels ... it probably will be interesting! =)
However you are getting here... fly, drive, crawl... we'll be glad to see you again.
Quote from: ravic on October 02, 2010, 05:43:04 PM
Quote from: Blushing on October 02, 2010, 03:46:58 AM
Like all my travels ... it probably will be interesting! =)
However you are getting here... fly, drive, crawl... we'll be glad to see you again.
AGREED!!! ;D
So to make a long story short, the friend who said he's pick me up Friday, let me stay with him and take me back to the airport Monday no longer has a working phone, and I can't get a hold of him. He's still there ... and I might not be responsible for my words if I find him ... that said ...
I have two options ... cancel the trip altogether, or tap other friends for help.
I have a ride from the airport on Friday (I'll just be waiting for a few hours), and a place to stay at the campgrounds. I still need a ride back to Hobby on Monday - my flight departs at 2:50 p.m. Is anyone headed that way, that day, who wouldn't mind an additional passenger and very large suitcase?
I'm usually the kind of person who really plans out everything ... down to little details, so my first response was to give up ... but I've been encouraged by many that I should definitely still attend!
I'll admit that I've been urging Blushing to throw caution to the wind and trust that her fellow Rennies will come through to help her get to TRF for AHE this year, and I hope she doesn't mind me saying, but she'll be staying with my renlet and me in the campground, and another friend has offered to come pick her up at Hobby after getting off work on Friday, although that will mean she has to wait AT the airport for a few hours. If anyone is coming toward the campground a bit earlier on Friday afternoon who could pick her up, it would save her those hours of waiting... and I have it on good authority that she's got chocolate goodies to offer as a bribe! :D
Just a day or so ago I witnessed how Rennies can rally to get one of us home to Faire, and I know there are lots of us who are looking forward to seeing her sunny smile! I've got her covered for a place to stay, and she can get there, also, so all she really needs now is a ride back to the airport Monday around noon...
I'll even pitch in a bit for gas!
I won't be attending AHE weekend, however If there is someone who lives in the Sugar Land/Fort Bend area who can give you a ride south to my place on Monday/Sunday, I can get you to the airport as it is on my way to work. We can easily put you up for the night if you have to leave the campground Sunday to accommodate the ride. (o:
Rennies working their "magic"... ;) :D
Rennies are awesome! =)
I'll see all of you at faire!