Thought it might be prudent to put up a travel thread in case people want to talk about carpools/road-trips to the meetup or might find really good deals on plane or train fares.
I’ve booked my flight and rental car. Woot! I will arrive on Thursday the 18th. at Dallas/Fort Worth airport at/around 9:50 a.m. Car is fullsize so should be able to hold 4 plus some luggage in the trunk. I’m willing to do pickups at the airport Thurs/Fri.
its official, im all booked up… Car, Plane, and Hotel… now if i could just put my body into suspended animation for 2+ months, id be ok 
cant wait to c everyone…
o yeah i have an xtra queen bed in my room(incase there are any straglers)
Hey all, I just looked at ticket prices from the Conneticut, Massachusetts area and they are pretty high so far. Any ideas on airfare deals? Really too far for train or roadtrip for me.
Also, If I can keep the costs down, is there anyone out there willing to share a room if needed? I’m clean cut and have all my shots :).
Thanks for any and all input.
d
“Connecticut: The Middle C is silent”
–Dave Letterman’s License Plate suggestion.
I think I’m gonna fly down Thursday after work and come back monday evening, there’s some deals going on right now, prices are dropped significantly since the new year. Hm. Looking at the hotel website it says check in at 3pm. Now does that mean before 3 or after 3.
I haven’t really booked a hotel before <_<
I guess it depends on how quickly their housekeeping staff can turn over the room. Last time I went to Atlanta, I arrived a little after 1 pm and was able to go straight to my room. But the last time I went to New York, I wasn’t allowed to check in until after 4 because they were running behind and having to deal with a big group ahead of me.
Debating whether to leave from Greensboro or Charlotte. It’s a longer drive to the Queen City, but the airfare is about half what it would be from G’boro. And they even have a nonstop flight. Seems like it would be worth the extra mileage.
Well I’ll be in dallas around 11 that night so that should be alright right?
The 3 p.m. check-in time is pretty standard with all hotels. It gives them time to get rooms cleaned. If they have a room ready before that time they will usually let you get right in. If not then, you have to wait.
You should be fine. No doubt you had to reserve the room with a credit card and that guarantees you the room on late arrival.
For those on the NYC/Philly area, seems flight prices are coming down - I saw non-stop from Newark for $235, and from Philly one stop down, non stop home for $267…of course because of my root canal and filling, I have to wait to buy my ticket…but at least it is a good sign that the are getting into the more doable range.
And you can always call ahead and let them know you will be arriving late!!
Glad to hear that fares are dropping! Woot…I was lucky to have flyer miles I could use.
And yeah DP…what Raemani said…you can call them to let them know about the late arrival.
I’ve got one on the line right now, non stop for 235 from LGA. I looked last week and it was like frakin 350, I was really shocked. Prolly get it friday when i get paaaaaaaaaaaaid
Ah, yes, another reason to avoid the state, all those troublesome hidden consonants. Don’t even get me started on Massachusetts, Worcester, Leicester, etc…
New York area is a little too far for me to drive to the airport. Anyone leaving from the New England area?
d
A note to any others coming from outside the USA: Get/Update your passport! Passports are now required to enter the USA, even from Canada. The rule of thumb is that your passport should be valid for six months past your return date. The processing times for a new passport can take anywhere from two to six weeks. Also, some airlines will let you submit your passport number for the pre-screening “Advance Passenger Information System” when you purchase your ticket. With the somewhat long customs lines, it couldn’t hurt to be as prepared as possible.
Canadians, be sure to get your Travel Insurance - having a medical emergency in the USA can be costly; travel insurance ensures that you’ll be covered with minimal charge. Also, if you’re injured seriously, they’ll usually cover getting you back to Canada to be treated. Get it sooner than later, as they’ll send you a wallet card with all the necessary information.
Oh, and check with your credit/debit card providers and make sure they will allow international usage, and ask about any applicable fees for using the cards in the USA. (My debit card is $5/transaction, for example)
As for me, my flight is booked and paid for, and my passport arrived this morning. Will be purchasing my travel insurance within the week. For experienced travelers all the above info will sound pretty basic, but I figured I’d post it anways. Let’s keep this meetup an International one! 
Incidentally, is anyone else coming to the meetup from outside the USA?
I usually fly out of Logan since it’s so close by for me but flights to DFW from there are still pretty expensive. So I’m going to wait a bit more before buying anything.
For peeps looking or cheap airfare I found out that Southwest Airlines do not publish their flights anywhere but their website, They have some pretty good deals with their ‘Wanna get away?’ promotions.
Great advice for out of country visitors Juan. I’d only add to call your credit/debit card companies and tell them the dates you will be here. That way they don’t flag your account thinking it’s a stolen card.
I’d also like to add for the international visitors, be prepared to leave earlier than you think you need to. With the recent events on Christmas, inbound flight procedures will most likely change, keep your eye on what happens. Canadian flights have not been added to the extra security, but between now & then that may change.
One note about Love Field: Due to the Wright Amendment, Southwest cannot schedule non-stop flights outside Texas’ neighboring states (with one exception for KC/STL).
A good point, also keep that in mind if you have to change planes. I’ve allowed a bit of extra time in Seattle in case (read:when) I have to wait in a long customs line. Also, the CATSA has restrictions on flights from Canada to USA, not allowing any carryon baggage. Strangely enough though, they also state that these restrictions will be in place “for several days”. 
Sites of interest:
http://www.tsa.gov/ - USA TSA
http://www.catsa-acsta.gc.ca/ - Canadian TSA