Suggestions On When To Purchase Airline Tickets? (March 19, 2010 Graduation)

[Kelley's Aunt (USS GW)]

Hi Everyone - I'm new to the site and just wish that I had more time to spend reading all of the great information.

 

We are traveling from the Phila area and with the chance of a delay in the recruits graduation date due to injury or maybe not passing a test (?) I'm wondering when other families will be making their airline reservations? We don't want to get stuck with a big penalty fee on airline tickets if the date should change.

Also, any suggestons on which of the 3 airports in Chicago to fly into? They say all three are about the same distance, but mabe a smaller one would be less confusing to find your way around?

 

One more question, does anyone have information on the meet & greet when you arrive at Great Lake?  I saw it mentioned in one of the postings and would like to learn more. 

 

Thanks in advance! Maybe we'll see you at graduation! My prayers are with all of the recruits in boot camp and their families that miss them.

[Arwen]

Get your tickets as soon as possible. While there may be an extra charge to change tickets, it's about the same as the increase in ticket cost as time gets closer. Also, planes fill up and you will have fewer flight time choices.

I waited to get my tickets and the ticket price has increased $100 since I started watching. I'm dreading how high they may go before I have the cash to actually buy them, and I only have two weeks remaining.

The Milwaukee airport is much cheaper from most airports, by as much as $100. Oddly enough, you may have to fly through Chicago to get there. Watch out about getting off the plane there, sometimes if you do that they will cancel your ticket back.

The Meet and Greet is usually held at the Ramada, but some N4M PIR groups choose to have a private m&g at a different location. My own group is having one at a pizza place. Most of us won't even be in Chicago in time to attend the Ramada event, so we're having a later one for ourselves. Some moms will attend both. Check with your PIR group to see if there are alternate plans.

[Patrice]

I agree with Arwen - Fully refundable tickets are a fortune in my opinion. We took a chance and purchased them about 5 weeks out from graduation. Check Milwaukee and O'Hare - we found that flying Newark to O'Hare was cheaper than Milwaukee so we went that route.

Have you joined your PIR group? In the groups section of N4M's type in the word "PIR March 19, 2010" There is most likely a group started for your son's graduation and there will be a ton of information on that site. Actually I just checked for you and here is the link. There are 41 members in the group for your graduation.

http://www.navyformoms.com/group/pir19mar10

Good Luck and Congratulations.

Patrice

[Kelley's Aunt (USS GW)]

Arwen & Patrice - Thanks so much for all of the flight and airport information.

Special thanks to Patrice for telling me about checking into the PIR for March 19th and for sending me the link : )

Kelley's Aunt