Southwest Airlines: flights and fares

[Smiling JOe]

I have family in DC, so BWI (Baltimore) is indeed a good route for me!

 

[BeachSiO2]

So what's the deal with Baltimore? I have never been but I have been wanting to return to DC. Anyone experienced with flying in and out of Baltimore and the best way to get to DC hotel for sightseeing? Rent car, train? Any advice?

Here's my two cents and hopefully others will chime in. It is a little challenging to reach the city from BWI but with lower fares may be worth it.

As far as public transportation, you have three options, bus to metro, MARC train to union station (metro), Amtrak to union station (metro). With the Bus to Metro and MARC to Metro, each way would take about an hour and cost should be no more than $10. Amtrak depends on which train you catch (not unlike Europe). Cost vary but have an overall shorter time around 30 minutes. The Express trains run more than $30, but you can get a regional train in the $12-18 range depending on time of day (one way)

Taxi fairs will vary but can run somewhere on the order of $80+ one way.

Car rental is available but then you have issues of paying for parking (Driving distance is about 33-35 miles depending on where you are going in DC). I love the public transportation once I reach the city so wouldn't choose car rental. There is the Metro and the Circulator bus that will hit just about everything you need in Downtown. Plus, cab fares aren't too bad if something isn't convenient for you.

 

[beachmouse]

Though unless you're booked directly through the Evil Mouse directly and use their airport shuttle services, you can have some pretty significant transportation costs in Orlando if you don't have your own car. And going the other way, it's going to take some work to convince Disney visitors to spend the beach part of their vacations in PCB when the Space Coast and Tampa areas are both easier to get to and have better weather than the Panhandle.

I think that if the route succeeds, it's going to be because a) it catches on with business travellers who need to make a quick overnight trip to the Panhandle or Central Florida area, and/or b) people from around here using the SWA hop to take advantage of cheap international or specialty flights out of MCO.

 

[Bobby J]

Ticket to Orlando for $49!!!!! Round trip to Costa for around $260.00 once in Orlando! My life just changed again!

 

[Matt J]

So what's the deal with Baltimore? I have never been but I have been wanting to return to DC. Anyone experienced with flying in and out of Baltimore and the best way to get to DC hotel for sightseeing? Rent car, train? Any advice?

Any other interesting places or sights around Baltimore? If you were going to Philadelphia or NYC to see the sights would you rent a car or take a train, or a connecting flight?

If you like crabs it's worth it. It's also home to film maker John Waters.

 

[Just Curious]

Phooey! I was hoping for Chicago or Detroit or NY or something.

Tried to check out some of my fave routes, but Expedia doesn't recognize ECP as an airport code?

Chicago and NY, maybe, but why Detroit. Who wants to go to Detroit.

 

[scooterbug44]

I don't want to go to Detroit, but it's a hub and near some Sowallers.

 

[Paula]

I was really hoping for Detroit because we live about 30 minutes from the Detroit airport. So, maybe Delta will come through with some direct flights or at least less expensive flights. Lately, Delta has had some fantastic airfare sales from Detroit to Fort Walton Beach and I hope they keep that up. Lowest fares I've seen since I've started coming to SoWal.

 

[passin thru]

If ECP becomes a busy airport, and if the Emerald Coast continues to grow & succeed, then I would imagine an intelligent carrier like Southwest would want to add some more routes.

This list of four is the initial list, we hope, right? ..... the airport doesn't even open for another six months.

 

[Surfrider28]

Kind of disappointment, no real big cities expect for Baltimore/DC. Just small to medium cities.