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Flying to Montana from East Coast

Tremor-ChrisTremor-Chris Posts: 233
edited June 2012 in The Porch
Anyone else Flying out from the East Coast (Boston here) for the Missoula show? Are you finding any good deals.

Every flight I search for is $530+ to Missoula round trip. Flying into Spokane WA is only around $350 but all those flights are two stops and a total travel time of almost 14 hours.

-Chris
When the power of love overcomes the love of power, then the world will know peace.
Post edited by Unknown User on

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    danisdanis Posts: 58
    Nope, not one good deal... I told my husband we're going, but haven't break the news about the cost to get there! I just said it's expensive. I'm trying to figure something out before telling him the hole thruth :D
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    Edved007Edved007 Milwaukee, WI Posts: 1,020
    My buddy and I are coming from Milwaukee and there is nothing even close to a fair price to get directly into Missoula and there really are no good options even within a few hours. Best thing I'm finding is Seattle, which is very inexpensive, but that's also an 8 hour drive...
    95' - 7/9
    98' - 6/26, 6/27, 6/29, 8/26, 9/22
    03' - 4/25
    06' - 6/29, 6/30
    07' - 8/05
    09' - 8/23
    11' - 9/03, 9/04
    12' - 9/30
    13' - 7/16, 7/19, 10/21, 10/22, 11/15, 11/16, 12/06
    14' - 06/28, 06/29, 10/1, 10/03, 10/16, 10/17, 10/20, 10/22
    15' - 11/20, 11/22
    16' - 4/21, 4/26, 4/28, 4/29, 5/1, 5/2, 7/9, 8/5, 8/7, 8/20, 8/22
    17' - 4/7
    18' - 7/1, 7/3, 7/5, 8/8, 8/10, 8/18, 8/20, 9/4
    21' - 10/1, 10/2
    22' - 7/12, 7/14, 9/6, 9/8
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    JeanwahJeanwah Posts: 6,363
    danis wrote:
    Nope, not one good deal... I told my husband we're going, but haven't break the news about the cost to get there! I just said it's expensive. I'm trying to figure something out before telling him the hole thruth :D

    I've done the same thing... not telling my husband how expensive flights are. If anyone sees any good deals, could they post them?
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    jomaryjomary Posts: 410
    So far the best option I have found is flying to Spokane $590(from Dallas on American airlines), which is 3 hours away. Funny thing is the same flight to Seattle without connecting to Spokane is $699
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    Tremor-ChrisTremor-Chris Posts: 233
    At least we all have a few months to see if it gets any better price wise.

    -Chris
    When the power of love overcomes the love of power, then the world will know peace.
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    slcporchslcporch Posts: 212
    Edved007 wrote:
    My buddy and I are coming from Milwaukee and there is nothing even close to a fair price to get directly into Missoula and there really are no good options even within a few hours. Best thing I'm finding is Seattle, which is very inexpensive, but that's also an 8 hour drive...

    Flights from Milwaukee into Salt Lake City are always inexpensive. Right now they are $290 and you could hit up Yellowstone on the way to Montana. It is 8 hours from Salt Lake to Missoula and going to Yellowstone would add an additional 4 hours of driving, but it would be well worth it if you have never been.
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    RKCNDYRKCNDY Seattle, WA Posts: 31,013
    You guys should try flights from wherever you are to Helena, MT, it is the biggest International airport. Also only 2 hours from Missoula.
    The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences, and hence there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon, for each day to have a new and different sun.

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    DURPDURP OhighO Posts: 2,180
    Anything that does not go into a international airport is going to cost out the ass. Which is stupid but the airlines do it. Somebody mentioned Seattle I would look at maybe Boise? Not sure if they have a international airport?

    Flying to Seattle may be cheaper but if you add rental car, gas you might spend more or the same. So think about that before you book a flight. Hope all of you have fun.
    My butt itches!
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    concertaholicshirtconcertaholicshirt Posts: 263
    It's for times like this that I save my frequent flier miles. I wouldn't be doing this if I couldn't use my miles to save the $525. I'll drop some more $ and an extra vacation day for the additional time I have to be there, but I'll get to see a slice of Montana and spend a lot less than $525. Good luck, Folks!
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    RC153010RC153010 Posts: 864
    They all look pretty expensive
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    Big Bank HankBig Bank Hank Seattle, WA Posts: 8,639
    Tremor-Chris wrote:
    Anyone else Flying out from the East Coast (Boston here) for the Missoula show? Are you finding any good deals.

    Every flight I search for is $530+ to Missoula round trip. Flying into Spokane WA is only around $350 but all those flights are two stops and a total travel time of almost 14 hours.

    -Chris
    try Spokane WA or Boise ID both are about a 3 hour drive and should be able to get rental cars
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    JeanwahJeanwah Posts: 6,363
    I'm thinking it's too early to get good flights to MT, summer high fares are still on. Waiting til at least Aug. might be the thing to do here. I know it's hard though!
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    TheGossmanTheGossman Posts: 1,120
    every flight from Charlotte to Montana is close to 600 for a round trip, I'm gonna wait a few more weeks, and make sure they don't add another show
    9/4/98, 8/4/00, 12/8/02, 12/9/02, 4/15/03, 4/16/03, 4/19/03, 4/25/03, 4/26/03, 4/28/03, 4/29/03, 4/30/03, 7/8/03, 7/9/03, 9/28/04, 9/29/04, 10/6/04, 9/1/05, 9/2/05, 5/16/06, 5/17/06, 5/27/06, 5/28/06, 5/30/06, 6/1/06, 6/3/06, 8/5/07, 6/11/08, 6/12/08, 6/14/08, 6/16/08, 6/24/08, 6/25/08
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    RC153010RC153010 Posts: 864
    Me 2 keep me updates and I will do the same if i see cheap flights see you all at the show
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    mccreadyisgodmccreadyisgod Bumfuq, MT Posts: 6,395
    Since I lived 12 years in Missoula (and moved away a month ago, only to find out about this show), I might have a little insight into the region worth sharing.

    1. Spokane, WA is pretty close, about 3.5 hrs from the Spokane airport to Missoula. There are two mountain passes, but at the end of September, there shouldn't be much/any snow.

    2. Helena, MT is about 2 hrs from Missoula. Airport there is kinda small, I don't know what RKCNDY knows that I don't know.

    3. Kalispell, MT is a better bet. 2 hrs from Missoula. It's got a larger airport than Helena, almost the same size as Missoula, because it's located near Glacier Natl Park.

    4. Seattle is 7 hrs away. Boise, ID is 7.5 hrs away. You can look at the map, Boise looks way closer, but the roads b/w Boise and Missoula are crap (hey, that's where I live now... and I've made that round trip 5 times in the last 3 months). Portland, OR is about 8.5 hrs from Missoula, fwiw. Salt Lake City, also about 8.5 hrs.

    5. Technically speaking, Missoula and Kalispell airports are both "international" airports. This is the sound of a guy from MT letting you know that they have roads and electricity and internet in MT, too. It's not a major metropolis, but it's not the bottom of an outhouse, either. I realize nobody is intentionally shitting on my home state here, but we don't need to be patronizing either.

    I'd be happy to help anyone with local/regional info. If I can't go to this show, I might as well help some others have a good time.
    ...and if you don't like it, you can suck on an egg.
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    100 Pacer100 Pacer Toronto, ON Posts: 8,504
    I'll be flying in from Toronto, although the flight situation appears to be a little tricky with obviously no direct flights and multiple stopover options in multiple cities with multiple flights complicating the process.

    :headache:
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    demetriosdemetrios Canada Posts: 87,724
    100 Pacer wrote:
    I'll be flying in from Toronto, although the flight situation appears to be a little tricky with obviously no direct flights and multiple stopover options in multiple cities with multiple flights complicating the process.

    :headache:

    Pretty much why I won't be doing this. :( Using Air Canada, the cheapest & easiest I'm getting is .. Halifax > Montreal > Denver > Billings. 8hr59 from Halifax to Billings to go. Coming back it's 11hr01, and this is just flying. Driving from Billings to Missoula it's a 6 hour drive, or something? Total flying it's almost $800 bucks. Driving? Oh boy! :/
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    JeanwahJeanwah Posts: 6,363
    mccreadyisgod wrote:

    3. Kalispell, MT is a better bet. 2 hrs from Missoula. It's got a larger airport than Helena, almost the same size as Missoula, because it's located near Glacier Natl Park.

    This makes a huge difference in price! Significantly cheaper than the others, and we wanted to see Glacier anyway.

    Thanks for the suggestion. :)
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    Big Bank HankBig Bank Hank Seattle, WA Posts: 8,639
    Spokane is one of the easiest, and if you do go to Missoula, your chances of finding a rental car unless you have one booked may be very problematic, because I imagine there are not too many events that draw that many people in from outside the area that would require a rental car, and I would imagine that between all the rental car facilities there, I can't imagine them having more than 100-150 rental cars total, if you are planning to take taxis, than that may end up being a cheaper option. I am sure they will have more cars brought in, however these are not corporate locations and the number of cars they can bring in is extremely limited, so make sure you have your rental car now or soon if flying into Missoula, if you intend to rent one, I worked in the rental car industry that is how I know. if you just fly in and are expecting to just pick up a rental car, no dice, I guarantee they will all be rented out
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    Jerome230Jerome230 Posts: 903
    mccreadyisgod wrote:
    Since I lived 12 years in Missoula (and moved away a month ago, only to find out about this show), I might have a little insight into the region worth sharing.

    You moved away a month ago and they booked this? Sweet irony! I live in Boise, too. Maybe I should move away from here so they'll finally stop overlooking Boise and book it.
    Ed...buddy...pal...stay true to your word and play Boise again.

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    badbrainsbadbrains Posts: 10,255
    Hey guys in case anyone's from Philly area, round trip for 2 + hotel + rental car for $500-$550 ea on Priceline. The flight has 1 stop but u fly into Missoula. 7hr total flight. Best I found.
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    mccreadyisgodmccreadyisgod Bumfuq, MT Posts: 6,395
    Jerome230 wrote:
    You moved away a month ago and they booked this? Sweet irony! I live in Boise, too. Maybe I should move away from here so they'll finally stop overlooking Boise and book it.


    Yeah, no kidding. I haven't been to a show in 6 years, and I miss this one by months. I'd be going, but the spouse says no dice. Ugh.
    ...and if you don't like it, you can suck on an egg.
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    msujammermsujammer Posts: 173
    For those of you flying into Montana, another option would be Bozeman. I just looked at Kayak.com and to fly from Boston to Bozeman is $484 roundtrip, New York to Bozeman is $481, Chicago to Bozeman is $488, Philly to Bozeman $494. Bozeman is about 2.5-3 hours away from Missoula (all interstate) so not a bad drive. It also puts you 90 miles away from Yellowstone if you've never been so you can hit up the park on Friday/Saturday before making your way to Missoula. I put the dates as flying in Friday and out on Monday. Just thought I'd share if people were still looking for options.
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