Flying NY to Palm Beach, Florida - tips?

[Corky]

Does anyone know the best airline/price for flying from New York (La Guardia or JFK) or even Newark, New Jersey to Palm Beach airport in Florida? I was able to find a week at Marriott's Ocean Point for Dec. 24.

Thanks.

[gmarine]

Its going to be tough to find airfare for under $500 RT during that week. I would try Jetblue.

[camachinist]

Is FLL (Fort Lauderdale) too far? If not, give that a try...

Pat

[Blondie]

In the past I have found the cheapest day to fly is Dec 25 for obvious reasons, so maybe you could check in a day late. I love Jet Blue- I head from Boston to West Palm on JB to see my sis for thanksgiving. Love the nonstop!!

[Corky]

Thanks to everyone who responded. Tried Jet Blue, and found a Dec. 26 round trip for $299. Haven't booked yet. Still searching.

[icydog]

Originally Posted by Corky

Thanks to everyone who responded. Tried Jet Blue, and found a Dec. 26 round trip for $299. Haven't booked yet. Still searching.

If you can go out of LGA try Spirit. I don't like them very much but for a short flight like this they will be fine. Just make sure you request either the bulk head or an aisle. They are very cheap though.

[btcctomtb]

On Kayak.com I am finding LGA to MIA and returning PBI to LGA for American Airlines down and United Back For $273 Roundtrip. This might create a higher car rental rate. or $309 in and out of MIA on Airtran Of course a layover in ATL would be required

[irish]

i have flown into FLL when i couldn't get a cheaper fare into PBI. FLL is an older airport not as nice as PBI but who cares. it takes maybe about 40-50 minutes all highway driving to get to OCEAN POINTE.

[camachinist]

Also, if applicable, try SWF (Newburgh) and HPN (White Plains). IIRC, both are easy to get to on MTA from Grand Central and most outlying districts.

Pat

[MikeM132]

Originally Posted by camachinist

Also, if applicable, try SWF (Newburgh) and HPN (White Plains). IIRC, both are easy to get to on MTA from Grand Central and most outlying districts.

Pat

Beg to differ. I lived there for years. MTA does not go to Newburgh (wrong side of river), and nowhere near White Plains (Westchester) airport. It does go to White Plains, but that is miles away from the airport. I do think Southwest flies out of Stewart, if they want to drive and park. Westchester airport has become more of a commuter airport. Flights are restricted there for several reasons, including a semi-famous lawsuit in the 80's from their very wealthy neighbors.
Other cheapo options are USA 3000, but I like JetBlue out of that area from JFK or LGA. Newark has it, too, but not as many flights.

[MikeM132]

Originally Posted by Corky

Does anyone know the best airline/price for flying from New York (La Guardia or JFK) or even Newark, New Jersey to Palm Beach airport in Florida? I was able to find a week at Marriott's Ocean Point for Dec. 24.

Thanks.

Make sure you check Ft Lauderdale prices, too. I have found them to be cheaper a lot of the time from Newark, anyhow (mostly looked at JetBlue). We are going down to OP first week of Dec on Continental, which, at that time, was the cheapest I could find (out of Newark). My choices here are Newark or Philly (I am about equidistant). LGA and JFK are on the "wrong" side of NYC for me now, although we always flew out of LGA when we lived up your way in Westchester. West Palm is right there, however, and you'd save a 45 min drive from Ft Lauderdale. The inlaws live in Boca, so we habitually check both airports and this is why I've found Ft. Lauderdale typically cheaper.

[camachinist]

Originally Posted by MikeM132

Beg to differ. I lived there for years. MTA does not go to Newburgh (wrong side of river), and nowhere near White Plains (Westchester) airport. It does go to White Plains, but that is miles away from the airport. I do think Southwest flies out of Stewart, if they want to drive and park. Westchester airport has become more of a commuter airport. Flights are restricted there for several reasons, including a semi-famous lawsuit in the 80's from their very wealthy neighbors.
Other cheapo options are USA 3000, but I like JetBlue out of that area from JFK or LGA. Newark has it, too, but not as many flights.

Hmm, perhaps I was thinking Amtrak from Penn, as I had just worked this option for a friend who lives in the upper west 90's and there was a cheap flight on AA to ORD out of SWF.

I did find this info on SWF's web site, but perhaps it's outdated or inaccurate:

NEWBURGH-
BEACON-
STEWART LINK
Leprechaun Bus Line Provides passengers a hassle free and inexpensive alternative mode of transportation over the Newburgh-Beacon Bridge which provides connections between Metro-North's Train Station in Beacon, the NYSDOT's Park & Ride Lots (on RT 17K & on Rt.9D at the Dutchess County Transportation Center next to the Stadium) and Stewart International Airport.

The cost is $1 per boarding, or free for Metro-North UniTicket customers.

For current schedules and route map:
www.leprechaunlines.com or call 800 638 7646

Thanks for the info on White Plains rail-wise. I've taken the MTA up the New Haven line but figured they had something up towards Greenwich. We were just through HPN last weekend and found it to be a quite respectable airport, with mostly jet service, clean facilities and reasonable rental car rates. Quick security, too I'll definitely add it to my list of cheap options for mileage runs. I'm seeing a lot of slippage right now in the outlying airports, so the OP might get something, though Christmas Eve makes it difficult.

Pat

[MikeM132]

Yes, you can get the bus from Beacon accross the river to Stewart. It's actually on the MTA website under other transportation. White Plains is on the Harlem-Hudson Line. Greenwich is on the New Haven Line. While Westchester Airport is very near Greenwich border, bear in mind geographically Greenwich is enormous and the train station is nowhere near the airport.
You can also get NJ Transit out of New York City up to near the Newburgh area (although it doesn't quite get there). You switch over to Metro North in New York State. There is no continuous Metro North to the West side of the Hudson (because all the bridges and tunnels go through Jersey!).
Anyhow, my point is I think that unless you get a super deal out of Stewart, it is a royal pain (which is probably why it is cheaper). White Plains might be convenient, but I would suspect flights and deals would be limited. I know people who swear by that USA 3000 (see it on billboards around NY and Newark). Looks like a flaky airline to me, but I've been told otherwise by people who use it all the time. It's like 69.00 to Florida from NY all the time.

[camachinist]

Thanks for that great information, Mike. I find the NYC/MTA transit system so easy and affordable to use, I forget that some might find it a PITA.

The reason I mention SWF and HPN is that most people don't think of them as NYC and I am tracking them daily for mileage run opportunities. There are complex formulas we use to value such, and small airports like the above often factor favorably, and carrier poaching often occurs at such airports, resulting in obscenely low fares.

Recently, UA offered, as a mistake, a 109.00 SFO-HPN r/t fare, and I just flew a similar fare mistake on NW.

So, see, to a mileage runner, 138.00 r/t from NYC to Florida is quite expensive

Thanks again!

Pat