jj92103

I am trying to determine the best way to travel from Boone, NC (closest airport is Charlotte CLT) to Monticello, NY. Looks like there are many choices to fly nonstop into the grerater New York area. I have looked at flying into White Plains, NY and Newark, NJ. From the airport, I will be renting a car and driving to Monticello. Does anyone have opinion on which would be better? White Plains seems like the easier traffic route but the flights are about $300 more expensive.

Also anyone have advice on leaving Monticello and flying into San Diego? Which airport would be the most convenient? Again, I'm concerned with big city trafffic and would prefer not to have to drive through Manhattan. A nonstop from the New York area to San Diego is preferable but I don't mind a layover if needed.

Thanks so much!

J62

Newark NJ, both flights. It is a major United Airlines hub and many other airlines also fly there.

Flights to Newark (EWR) from several NC airports, including Greensboro and maybe also Ashveille, in addition to Charlotte. UA, AA and JetBlue would fly Charlotte to Newark. .

Newark to San Diego is served by United and Alaska.

Gretchen

Have you considered just renting a car and driving there? By the time you drive to Charlotte early enough to get a plane, fly, rent a car and drive from NJ to Monticello you may be able to drive it in 11 hours.
I have driven from Charlotte to NJ and it is an easy drive.
Additionally you could go to Raleigh (a 3 hour drive vx. 2 to Charlotte) and fly to Stewart Airport north of NYC. A smaller airport and easier traffic leaving it than Newark.

tomfuller

The Amtrak Crescent leaves Charlotte at 5:30AM. Take it to BWI and rent a car to drive I-83 and I-81 across PA avoiding New Jersey and NYC. Cars are available to rent at BWI. On the Crescent you arrive at BWI between 2 and 3 PM. Return the car at BWI and fly from there to San Diego.

Gretchen

Actually my idea of going to Raleigh and flying to Newburgh NY has pretty good legs.
Newburgh is an hour from Monticello and you can get a bus or taxi to get there.
Then to go to San Diego fly out of Newburgh on American )or maybe some other airline)
https://www.travelocity.com/lp/fligh...ntl/aa/swf/san

J62

Gretchen is right. The drive from Stewart Newburgh (SWF) would be easy. ~45min, highway all the way (I84 then Rt17). The problem with SWF though is that there are so few flights into there, if something goes amiss you're SOL. That once a day? Frontier flight would be great if it's on time, or more importantly not cancelled. I've had more than one bad experience over the years at SWF, and decide a longer drive to LGA, EWR, or JFK was a better plan. With Newark (EWR), you will at least have other flights that same day...

I'd say the drive from Newark through northern NJ on to Monticello is easy, but then again I could do it blindfolded my sleep, without GPS so I'm not the best judge. But it is only a few turns, and once you get on Rt17 in NJ it's the same highway all the way.

Only Frontier and Allegiant currently fly out of Newburgh now, and only down the East Coast. - not Southwest, or AA or UA or DL, so no good options to get to San Diego. Newark with non-stops on UA or Alaska would be my reco.

jj92103

Thanks to everyone for the great suggestions! I appreciate the help--there were definitely ideas that I never would have considered like the Newburgh airport or even driving!

I'm actually looking into flying into White Plains, NY from Charlotte since the Newburgh flights are so sparse and not even flying every day. (I'm looking at August.) Also flying out of White Plains into San Diego with a connection in either Detroit. Any opinions on that itinerary?