JetBlue to fly to PHL

**dontforget** · 12-14-2012, 02:22 PM

JetBlue's new service to Boston means cheaper fares in Phila.

The times are geared more for BOS business travelers to PHL than the otherway but it makes sense given JetBlue's strength up there.

Hopefully it does well and JetBlue expands PHL w Florida service (Ft. Lauderdale-FLL and Orlando-MCO as starters, then maybe Tampa-TPA, Ft. Myers-RSW, West Palm Beach-PBI, Sarasota, FL SRQ), and more outside Florida like maybe Dallas-DFW and San Juan-SJU. I'd rather JetBlue had launched PHL-DFW than Spirit. 3 hours on a Spirit flight is torture. If American and US Airways merge, JetBlue could see additional opportunities as well.

On another note, Virgin America will begin flying to Newark as well, although Virgin is reducing PHL down to 2x daily to LAX, from 3x daily. Virgin also flies 2x daily to SFO. If Virgin doesn't perform well at PHL, I could see them dropping to just SFO, but maybe increasing it to 3x daily to SFO since SFO can handle more connections than LAX. If it ceases PHL service altogether, JetBlue could pick up the SFO service as it, unlike Southwest, isn't averse to flying transcons.

**thetalkingmule** · 12-14-2012, 02:51 PM

Will any of this have a long-term or short-term effect on fares to the Caribbean out of PHL? USAir's monopoly to ST. Thomas is killing me!

**eldondre** · 12-14-2012, 03:06 PM

Id love to see some competition on he crowded phl-san juan flights

**eldondre** · 12-14-2012, 03:49 PM

Id love to see some competition on he crowded phl-san juan flights

**ShoshTrvls** · 12-14-2012, 04:34 PM

I wondered if anyone was going to fill Southwest's role in bringing down the cost of flying from Philly to the Boston area. Glad to see JetBlue pick that route up.

**thetalkingmule** · 12-14-2012, 04:43 PM

AA and USAir are about 2 weeks away from announcing nuptial, so we'll see how that affects San Juan and the rest of the Carib.

**MariusPontmercy** · 12-14-2012, 05:10 PM

$64 one way? What were tickets before SW pulled out?

**ShoshTrvls** · 12-15-2012, 04:45 PM

Originally Posted by MariusPontmercy

$64 one way? What were tickets before SW pulled out?

At times, I got them for $39 each way.

**It'sJessMe** · 12-15-2012, 07:10 PM

I'm taking Amtrak to Boston this week, overnight, $363 total and many many hours. I never even consider flying. JetBlue will change everything. (And their $17.76 fair will be offered at exactly the same time period as my 25th college reunion in Boston and my parents' 50th anniversary celebration in Boston). Now if they just bring back the Manchester route that Southwest abandoned I'll be completely satisfied. But this is HUGE for me, given that both my sisters moved out of the country in recent years and my parents in Boston aren't getting younger.

**MariusPontmercy** · 12-15-2012, 09:54 PM

Originally Posted by It'sJessMe

I'm taking Amtrak to Boston this week, overnight, $363 total and many many hours. I never even consider flying. JetBlue will change everything. (And their $17.76 fair will be offered at exactly the same time period as my 25th college reunion in Boston and my parents' 50th anniversary celebration in Boston). Now if they just bring back the Manchester route that Southwest abandoned I'll be completely satisfied. But this is HUGE for me, given that both my sisters moved out of the country in recent years and my parents in Boston aren't getting younger.

Are you taking the Acela? Amtrak NE Regionals are usually only ~$120 round trip from 30th Street Station to Boston South Station.

**It'sJessMe** · 12-16-2012, 12:13 AM

Originally Posted by MariusPontmercy

Are you taking the Acela? Amtrak NE Regionals are usually only ~$120 round trip from 30th Street Station to Boston South Station.

I've never seen a price that low. I have $150 one way at $200 the other. I think one is Acela but I had to buy my ticket based on timing, not price. (Then the work presentation I'm going up there to give got cancelled, but I'd already committed to seeing my parents and a couple of other appointments so I had to keep the trip...but now pay for the ticket myself instead of my job reimbursing me.)

**MariusPontmercy** · 12-16-2012, 12:37 PM

Originally Posted by It'sJessMe

I've never seen a price that low. I have $150 one way at $200 the other. I think one is Acela but I had to buy my ticket based on timing, not price. (Then the work presentation I'm going up there to give got cancelled, but I'd already committed to seeing my parents and a couple of other appointments so I had to keep the trip...but now pay for the ticket myself instead of my job reimbursing me.)

If you get tickets in advance they are much cheaper. Just looked in the middle of January and tickets were $59 one way on the NE Regional. Not sure what the airlines' policy is on booking last minute. Also, unless time is a big constraint, grab two regional tickets. Regional service is pretty frequent so you shouldn't have to take the Acela unless your schedule was really tight.

**seand** · 12-16-2012, 01:58 PM

Originally Posted by eldondre

Id love to see some competition on he crowded phl-san juan flights

Was wondering the same thing. Though I will say USAir has been putting up some competitively priced flights PHL to SJU lately.

**eldondre** · 12-16-2012, 04:40 PM

Originally Posted by seand

Was wondering the same thing. Though I will say USAir has been putting up some competitively priced flights PHL to SJU lately.

yeah, I guess I can't complain too much, they're always full and often costs less than the fare to pittsburgh. I'd guess that's because it's mostly leisure travel rather than business travel and US Air knows they can't get those prices unless someone's company is paying. still, competition is a good thing. ideally it would be PHL to ponce ; ). I wouldn't mind seeing SJU become a secondary transfer center to south america.

**dontforget** · 12-23-2012, 11:31 PM

Originally Posted by It'sJessMe

I'm taking Amtrak to Boston this week, overnight, $363 total and many many hours. I never even consider flying. JetBlue will change everything. (And their $17.76 fair will be offered at exactly the same time period as my 25th college reunion in Boston and my parents' 50th anniversary celebration in Boston). Now if they just bring back the Manchester route that Southwest abandoned I'll be completely satisfied. But this is HUGE for me, given that both my sisters moved out of the country in recent years and my parents in Boston aren't getting younger.

JetBlue doesn't even fly to Manchester MHT airport, so it's very very unlikely it will want to fly MHT-PHL up against US and competing against itself in a way diluting the BOS-PHL route. MHT is only a 1 hour drive from BOS.

**RittenhouseGirl** · 12-24-2012, 02:05 PM

I wish more than one airline would fly straight from Philadelphia to Columbus, Ohio. I make that trip at least four times a year for relatives. As of now, only US Airways does it. And they charge up to $450 round-trip for it. Otherwise, I hate flying into Dayton from Philadelphia because they use tiny, uncomfortable jets for the trip.

Amtrak from Cincinnati is a 16-hour ride to Philadelphia, and it picks up around 3:30 in the morning. Traveling can be a total pain.

**It'sJessMe** · 12-24-2012, 04:31 PM

Originally Posted by dontforget

JetBlue doesn't even fly to Manchester MHT airport, so it's very very unlikely it will want to fly MHT-PHL up against US and competing against itself in a way diluting the BOS-PHL route. MHT is only a 1 hour drive from BOS.

I know, but I can dream! Our house in NH is 1.5 hours north of Manchester so from Boston it's another hour, and with kids after a flight, that's a big hour. Plus the Manchester airport is so manageable.

**dontforget** · 12-27-2012, 01:15 PM

Originally Posted by It'sJessMe

I know, but I can dream! Our house in NH is 1.5 hours north of Manchester so from Boston it's another hour, and with kids after a flight, that's a big hour. Plus the Manchester airport is so manageable.

Is it near Rutland VT? You could do JetBlue PHL-BOS and Cape Air BOS-RUT. It's codeshared and you can book directly from jetBlue.com. Maybe easier just to drive-I know.

**dontforget** · 12-27-2012, 01:18 PM

Originally Posted by RittenhouseGirl

I wish more than one airline would fly straight from Philadelphia to Columbus, Ohio. I make that trip at least four times a year for relatives. As of now, only US Airways does it. And they charge up to $450 round-trip for it. Otherwise, I hate flying into Dayton from Philadelphia because they use tiny, uncomfortable jets for the trip.

Amtrak from Cincinnati is a 16-hour ride to Philadelphia, and it picks up around 3:30 in the morning. Traveling can be a total pain.

Southwest used to fly PHL-CMH 4x daily. However, it wasn't profitable going up against US, so SW ended it. Southwest still flies BWI-CMH likely at a lower typical roundtrip cost than US does for PHL-CMH. I recently drove to BWI for a low fare, and I chose the garage parking at $12/day. It's ok. There is a waiting area on Level 2 (it's still indoors...better than outdoor economy) but I still had to wait for a shuttle, and couldn't walk to the gate. On the return, the shuttle was packed but I got a seat on it. There are a few tolls on I-95, including a $6 one when traveling north up the Susquehanna River bridge.

In the Spring/summer season, Spirit flies ACY-DTW and offers sometimes really low fares (like less than $50 one way). DTW/Detroit is a 3 hour drive from Columbus. If you prefer a shorter drive than driving to BWI from the origin side, and would anyways rent a car there at the destination airport (say CMH, but instead DTW), it could be another option.

Delta also emails special deals to DTW (from PHL and ABE)-fly out Fri or Sat, return Monday or Tuesday, and United has similar email deals to CLE. CLE is a 2 hour drive to Columbus, OH.

**It'sJessMe** · 12-27-2012, 03:57 PM

Originally Posted by dontforget

Is it near Rutland VT? You could do JetBlue PHL-BOS and Cape Air BOS-RUT. It's codeshared and you can book directly from jetBlue.com. Maybe easier just to drive-I know.

Nah, at that point it would be easier to just drive from Boston!