Buying Plane Tix

KingsPtDad

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I would like to go ahead and buy plane tix for my p/c to come home for Thanksgiving and Christmas. What day and time of departure and return should I plan on? Thanks to anyone with knowledge.
 
I would like to go ahead and buy plane tix for my p/c to come home for Thanksgiving and Christmas. What day and time of departure and return should I plan on? Thanks to anyone with knowledge.

You could base it on the dates in the Regimental Calender on which you can access via the parents page. That said you won't know their Academic schedule for either day/time until it's issued for the Second Trimester which won't be until late October so you'll have to take a conservative view to departure times from the Academy.
 
Plane ticket

We too are looking at the travel home for Thanksgiving. From past experience, plan on the last flight out on that Friday or the earliest one on Saturday morning.
 
We too are looking at the travel home for Thanksgiving. From past experience, plan on the last flight out on that Friday or the earliest one on Saturday morning.

I use these rules. The latest flight from LGA on the earliest day liberty commences. On the back trip the earliest one to LGA on the day they need to be back.

Yah it shortens the visit by making those days into travel days, but it reduces the stress on everyone, both parents and mids.

Occasionally DS has been able to parlay the reservation into an earlier or later flight. That's on DS and I will not pay extra. Keeps me out of trouble with the spouse and DS.
 
Planning Plane Tickets

I hate to be a kill joy, but check sports calendars too! Our DS has not had one break that didn't start late or end early due to a sports event. Obviously this depends on what they are doing. We have a runner so there are lots of meets scheduled throughout the year and over breaks.
 
Much as we hate to watch the rates go up, we have always waited to purchase plane tickets. Schedules change and stuff happens. The last thing you want is to be stuck with a plane ticket your ds/dd can't use. We usually try to buy the tickets about one month before DD will travel. The rates generally aren't too bad then, but it's close enough that she can know what her schedule will be. Sports schedules and Band obligations can impact travel and they won't begin to know those things for a while.

So, take a deep breath and remember - Semper Gumby!
 
For any of you who have a wrestler, you can not go by the regimental calendar to make plans. We would buy a bus or train ticket and it always seemed we would have to rush and change it. Wrestlers dont get to enjoy the nice long holiday breaks. :redface: Its better than nothing though!
 
Tickets

Southwest Airlines is probably the most flexible of the airlines. If you have to cancel or change your ticket, 100% of your money is applied to a future ticket as long as travel is completed within one year of the original reservation. Also, there is no fee to change a reservation with Southwest.
 
Most definitely purchase tickets for the latest flights out and earliest ones returning. If you dd/ds is excused early and they can get to the airport early and catch an earlier flight home. They may have to pay $50 for it, depending on the airline, but having an extra 5 hours at home was worth it for our son. This is how we did this. We would find out from our son when his last exam was. Then we'd call the airline to see if they had extra room on earlier flights. We'd email him back to tell him the information the night before his last exam. Usually by then they'd know that they could leave after their last exam. He'd go to the airport early and get on the earlier flight if the seats hadn't been sold out. Yeh, he paid $50, but it was worth it to him. Also, this way he and his friends could visit at the airport outside of KP. It was a blast for them. And they were in uniform, which is mandatory. People are very generous in many ways. One of his buddies consistently got bumped up 1st class too. Sorry can't remember the airline. Eventually when they get their phones it's easy for them to prepay the change on the phone, instead of showing up at the airport on departure day and paying.
 
getting from KP to either the airport or train station

Does anyone had advice that I can pass along to my DS for getting to the LIRR from KP so that he can catch a train home is necessary? There will probably be time that I can not make the drive up to get him do to work schedules.

Thanks for all the advice from our experienced parents- why re-invent the wheel if it already been done!
 
Does anyone had advice that I can pass along to my DS for getting to the LIRR from KP so that he can catch a train home is necessary? There will probably be time that I can not make the drive up to get him do to work schedules.

Thanks for all the advice from our experienced parents- why re-invent the wheel if it already been done!

Believe me your son will have that one figured out probably the day after Indoc ends. Most of the time you simply end up calling a taxi to take you to the Great Neck station. Sometimes you can hitch a ride with an upperclassman heading that way or I think the bus still stops at the gate as well. The other option is to simply walk it (I did it once, don't necessarily recommend it though), I think it's less than 3 miles.
 
Does anyone had advice that I can pass along to my DS for getting to the LIRR from KP so that he can catch a train home is necessary? There will probably be time that I can not make the drive up to get him do to work schedules.

Thanks for all the advice from our experienced parents- why re-invent the wheel if it already been done!
Our son does this all the time, since he takes the LIRR to Penn Station to pick up Amtrak. A number of times he has been able to hitch a ride, and if not the bus is usually pretty reliable. Barring that, he takes a cab.
 
They take a cab or many times Great Neck residents will see them at the gate and give them a ride. The same works for back to KP from the train station.
 
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