Heh.

[fangrrl_squees]

I was just amusing myself by looking at airfares for Chicago (we window-shop in different ways) and nearly gave myself a cardiac arrest when I found a flight for $150 r/t.

Turns out it was San Francisco to Milwaukee. I dunno about y'all, but I don't consider that a "Chicago area" airport. Then again, this is the same consolidator that considers Birmingham a "London area" airport.

Comments

[renn.livejournal.com]

Well, technically, Milwaukee IS a Chicago area airport. If you ask Milwaukee, of course. (Although, really, people up in Lake County go to Milwaukee with some frequency because it's easier to get to than O'Hare for them.)

[britgeekgrrl.livejournal.com]

I just had a look at the distances on Google maps (because, as a Californian resident, that big flat between the coasts is just a huge mystery to me) and it's not as bad as I thought, I admit.

But the cost of a shuttle to/from Milwaukee would no-doubt eat up the savings on the flight. A 30 min shuttle from my place to Oakland costs the best part of $50 - I can't imagine what a 90-minute shuttle ride would cost!

[renn.livejournal.com]

$175 or so, to get to one of the airports from Milwaukee. (I researched it for CostumeCon....) Sorta defeats the cheap airfare, yeah....

[britgeekgrrl.livejournal.com]

As I'm a curious cuss who loves sorting out travel logistics thingies (to each their own...besides, it's always educational!) I just looked into - god help me - Amtrak.

To my surprise, there's an Amtrak station near MKE (like, within 2 miles) and both entities are smart enough to run a free shuttle between it and the airport.

A trip on the train concluding at Naperville station (about 6 miles away from the Westin Lombard) is $33 each way. That's rather good value, imho.

Downside: the trip takes two hours and requires a change of train at Union Station.

What's REALLY amazing, though? They're running trains on Thanksgiving. Well, *a* train. Unfortunately, its schedule is completely incompatible with the *one* cheapie fare I found (cheapie fare lands at 5PM. Train departs at 3:30PM. Oops)

Still, it's v. much food for thought. Maybe if I flew in the day before *fiddles* Nope, same problem. One train a day, only.

Well, it might work out for someone else, so I'll probably make a post about these findings.

Mind you, that cheap flight? Air Tran and from what I've heard they a) embody all that is bad about cheap airlines and b) are leading the sweepstakes for 'next airline to go under'

[britgeekgrrl.livejournal.com]

Following a moment of inspiration, I've put a msg out on the chitardis yahoo group. Someone might be coming down from that way who'd be willing to pick me up if I cover their gas and then some (which, by my calc, $25 would do, assuming gas costs about what it does around here...)