No CLT flights for CZM

[rvandevuurst]

Just no on ious rhyme or reason. It has always been more expensive to fly direct from CLT to CZM than to connect from my home airport if TRI (NE Tenn). But last time I booked, it was cheaper from CLT direct!

¯\_(ツ)_/¯​

My home airport is TRI as well. And ever since COVID hit and Delta stopped going to CZM, it's been extremely frustrating dealing with the American schedules out of here. There's no discernable pattern or reason that I've been able to figure out about why they have flights on some days, and not others or, for that matter, the fares that are charged. I was looking at a trip the other day and the quoted fare from TRI to CZM through, I believe, CLT was north of 3 grand. In coach. We've taken a few trips on United out of Knoxville through Houston, which is a complete pain, but its either two hours driving to Knoxville or close to 4 to Charlotte. Delta to Cancun is an option with the bag drag, but most of the time the fares to CUN are about the same as what I'd pay to get to CZM anyway. But I'm preaching to the choir, I'm know, you've been dealing with it too. Frustrating!!

 

[DandyDon]

My home airport is TRI as well.

Yeah, that one is tough. 100 miles to Knoxville or 77 to Ashville. I won't drive further. Looking at May at the lowest fares, May 7 for 7 nights is $534 out of Ashville or $569 out of Knoxville with better connections. But out of Tricity, it really sucks. Either an overnight connection or fares starting at $997. Your airport needs a new airline.

 

[rvandevuurst]

Yeah, that one is tough. 100 miles to Knoxville or 77 to Ashville. I won't drive further. Looking at May at the lowest fares, May 7 for 7 nights is $534 out of Ashville or $569 out of Knoxville with better connections. But out of Tricity, it really sucks. Either an overnight connection or fares starting at $997. Your airport needs a new airline.

I need to start checking with you on my flights I think. Asheville is a good suggestion, for whatever reason that airport doesn't make my radar screen as often as it should, I'll keep that in mind going forward. Roanoke VA should be on the list as well probably. Our options out of TRI are basically Delta and American. Allegiant has one or two flights a week, but that's no help, of course. Our local airport authority has been trying for years to get United or Southwest in here, no luck thus far.

 

[DandyDon]

I need to start checking with you on my flights I think.

Please do if you can put up with my "curmudgeon" talk. I check my routes and fares from Matrix, but learning to make the most of it includes a learning curve so check with me anytime.

Asheville is a good suggestion, for whatever reason that airport doesn't make my radar screen as often as it should,

It showed up as the closest to Tricity on Matrix when I asked to see airports within a hundred miles. Caution: it uses air miles like 109 to GSP from TRI, but driving is more like 152 miles.

Roanoke VA should be on the list as well probably.

That's 165 car miles from TRI so I wouldn't suggest it. I did it once with my daughter's household as Abilene is about 163 miles from them and the savings were impressive, but normally I wouldn't suggest that long of a drive. But you can slide the bar to 200 miles on Matrix and have it check all 16 airports and see if any impressive fares temp you. I didn't see anything good for May. Illustrations below...

 

[ggunn]

Just no on ious rhyme or reason. It has always been more expensive to fly direct from CLT to CZM than to connect from my home airport if TRI (NE Tenn). But last time I booked, it was cheaper from CLT direct!

¯\_(ツ)_/¯​

I live in Austin and we always have a connection in Houston when we go to Cozumel. A few years ago I investigated how much we would save by driving to Houston to catch the HOU-CZM leg. The fare was $75 higher.

 

[DandyDon]

I live in Austin and we always have a connection in Houston when we go to Cozumel. A few years ago I investigated how much we would save by driving to Houston to catch the HOU-CZM leg. The fare was $75 higher.

Yep, Austin is still the cheapest origin around going to Cozumel. You could change planes in Miami, but I would not recommend that airport to anyone.

 

[loudives]

yes airlines make pricing strange. not only seasonal, business, or demand but also GOVERNMENT SUBSITY and gate cost at airports. ord in Chicago has one of the highest gate cost of any airport. Some times i have found that even thou i live 10miles from ord it is cheaper to fly from Milwaukee - ord- czm than from ord-czm. 70 mile drive to Milwaukee. found out that airlines get many $$$$ or tax credits to service smaller airports and that those dollars more than cover their cost to fly you. Someone told me that not only passenger count, arrival and departure count are factored into the government payback but also total weight of aircraft. So by hauling freight from smaller airports to larger ones airlines get more government $$$.
Bean counters rule the world not corp. execs.

 

[brownie]

You could change planes in Miami, but I would not recommend that airport anyone.

Over the years of travel, I always looked forward to grabbing a meal at La Carreta in Miami airport.

 

[DandyDon]

Over the years of travel, I always looked forward to grabbing a meal at La Carreta in Miami airport.

Really? Well, American would be glad to take you thru there, and they do use that terminal for some flights at least. It's a major hub for them and not far from Cozumel. You could get a long layover there both ways altho it'd be $50USD cheaper to return thru DFW. Of course you'd have to deal with our I&C both ways. Your cheapest flights connect in Mexico City dealing only with Mexican I&C once going and Candian returning so it'd be an expernsive sandwich.

 

[gopbroek]

You could change planes in Miami, but I would not recommend that airport to anyone.

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Last weekend I was traveling back from San Andres via Miami and got stuck in the S Florida aviation collapse. Primarily AA at MIA but all airlines were affected. After sleeping Saturday night on a dirty floor at the Miami airport (no rooms or cars left) My wife and I were finally able to get a flight to Cozumel on Sunday and back to DFW Monday. When everything is working in Miami on a weekend it is still a mess with all the cruise ship and vacation travelers.