Philly travelers.

Flight 840 has been the choice for us for the last 15 years. And was this year, until I discovered that the flight now stops in North Carolina for close to two hours. Is his recent, and I missed it? Or is it something or do with the fact that we are traveling over Thanksgiving weekend.

The change makes our travel day pretty much a total loss. With the old flight, we arrived in JA, and were at the resort generally by 12:30-1:00. The new flight times will have us there upon time for dinner, leaving Philly at 10am. This means going down the Blue Route during rush hour traffic to get to the airport.

The other thing I noticed was the huge difference in pricing for returning the Saturday after thanksgiving as opposed to the Sunday. On Saturday, they jacked the prices up close to 20% for coach fares! and even now, many flights are sold out. I think club mobay is a definite this year...

Hussyband, I just picked some random flight days in November for US Air (flight 860) and they are non stop coming and going for about $540 Round Trip. You don't get into MBJ until 1:50 PM. But the departing flight doesn't leave till 3 PM so you get most of your last day on the island. We are waiting for a better price or we might not be going this year.
Regards,
Bob

LEave Sat Nov 22 8:45AM Non-stop

Return Sat Nov 29 3:05PM Non-Stop

1,129.44 for 2 RT Tix


The long term parking is a bit cheaper from BWI, but you are looking at a 2 hour drive.

I think we are going Wed - Monday over Turkey day. It was 440 each tick RT NS.

I am still stewing about the 8:50 flight. We used to leave shortly after 7:00 am. Been taking that flight for years (I think air jamaica actually left around 8 am), but when I went to get that one... In spite of the website saying non-stop, it has a layover in Charlotte.

BWI is even further for me, Flip. I am all the way up the northeast extension in Green Lane. Philly airport is an hour drive, and now with the flight change... It's gonna be in rush hour. We leave on a Friday morning, but I did add a day to the end... The tickets leaving the Saturday after thanksgiving were like $160 more than if I left on Sunday. If it's gonna cost an extra $320, may as well stay an extra day.

The other thing that has me going is EVERY time I have had a layover with USair, they have screwed up my luggage. Once, on a hop to boston for my brothers wedding, they actually lost our luggage, and we had to buy new clothes for the ceremony. Philadelphia is supposed to be an international airport... With USair, and the staff in general, it leaves quite a bit to be desired.

Have you looked at one-way flight reservations, and possibly different airlines coming & going? Southwest has a Philly flight leaving 6:35am arr MBJ 12:40pm stopping in Orlando $383. (I used the Saturday before T-giving)

The return flights have long layovers, but a different airline might have what you want.

Cannot take the layovers, that is the whole issue. Do not really care what the flight costs, we always fly first anyway. The layover is unacceptable for my wife. Travel day for me is kind of fun, she hates that portion of the trip. Happy wife = happy life... miserable wife = RUN!

Jet Blue?

Yeah, I've posted about this before. If you want a direct flight from PHL, US Airways is the only game in town. The wife and I will only take direct flights, as well.

Hussyband, it's bizarre that the flight 840 you booked has a layover. I would try to move the flight a day earlier or later to get a direct flight.

Hussyband - I just did a quick look - have you looked at US Air flight 857? It leaves PHL at 7:55am, non-stop to MBJ.

Looks like US Air did some flight renumbering. Or may be this is a new addition - sometimes US Air will wait for the 9:55 flight to fill up, before they add the 7:55.

I've booked and paid. We are taking the later flight, and are just going to fly to negril on one of the jumpers to avoid that Friday afternoon traffic. Another boardie is staying at tensing same time as us told me the traffic from MBJ to negril was brutal when he got in at that time last year. We also added another day with the hotel, so that's a good thing! The bad side to that though... The hotel is booked for the week after thanksgiving. We will have to give up our cottage for the last night and move into the tiniest room at the hotel. Nice and cozy for the wife and myself.

I am really surprised at the difference in the return flights as opposed to the day we leave. $131 difference per per person. But still, it is coming out $600 less than last year. Looks like our new flight is the same number coming and going. The coming home flight is the same it's always been, 3pm. Eire way, with the added day, I am still having a full 8 days, plus the two travel days. I could actually go sea the sea star show twice :). I feel like I can really start the countdown now.