Flying

[squirrelsunite]

So I'm going to the Penny-Arcade Expo at the end of August. It's in Seattle. I'm flying there. I've only flown once before when I was a wee lad, and I remember nothing about it. Does anyone have any tips on things like stuff to look for when booking flights, certain airlines to use/avoid, stuff to do while on the flight/waiting for connecting

Comments

[platonic]

Chew gum while the plane is changing altitudes.

[zdefenestrator]

Pack 2 bags. A carry-on with electronics, valuables, toiletries, and one change of clothes. That way you won't be screwed if they lose your luggage. You'll probably get all kinds of bad stories about random airlines, but other than maybe Southwest they're all pretty similar. Check travelocity (or orbitz, or expedia... I think they all pull from Sabre's data feed these days) and southwest.com. Oh, and check out the TSA's website for rules about what you can/can't take, etc.

Direct flights are nice if you can get them, but you'll probably end up having to change planes in Denver to get a decent price. Not sure how long it takes to get from place to place there, but anything less than an hour between flights usually means you'll have to hurry.

[squirrelsunite]

So is southwest significantly better or worse that the other?

[zdefenestrator]

A matter of opinion, really. They're more laid-back than the others and give individual employees more ability to make decisions. I prefer it, some people aren't fond of their more chaotic boarding system.

[wi_vd]

Kinda late to chime in now, but I actually like it a lot better. Little known fact but I was hired by them to be a flight attendant. I turned it down so I could go back to school.