Flying in/out USA deep south
Discussion
At early stages of holiday to USA deep south. Haven't planned route yet (will likely be Tennessee, Louisiana, possibly Georgia) but first need to decide where we'll fly in and out of.
Slightly struggling with trying to find the cheapest option. Ideally we'd fly in and out of different airports but sometimes that is more expensive. I'd seen Atlanta is the world's busiest airport but that doesn't appear to make it cheaper! It'll be from London airports.
Any advice welcome!
Slightly struggling with trying to find the cheapest option. Ideally we'd fly in and out of different airports but sometimes that is more expensive. I'd seen Atlanta is the world's busiest airport but that doesn't appear to make it cheaper! It'll be from London airports.
Any advice welcome!
BA do a few places, eg New Orleans and Nashville. I d have suggested Atlanta in the first instance as you ll get Delta and Virgin going there as well as BA.
Some leftfield suggestions might be to consider going from Edinburgh or Manchester instead of London (Delta) or going to JFK/Newark/Dallas and then connecting.
Some leftfield suggestions might be to consider going from Edinburgh or Manchester instead of London (Delta) or going to JFK/Newark/Dallas and then connecting.
When I did a Deep South trip many years ago, I flew into Atlanta and then took and internal flight to New Orleans to meet up with my wife who had been working there. We then drove up the Mississippi delta to Nashville and then hopped back to Atlanta and flew home.
In more recent times we did a road trip from DC through the Blue Ridge Mountains to Ashville, turned south east to Savannah and then worked up through the Carolinas to DC and home. Flights were in and out of Dulles. That might be an option and then take an internal flight to your starting point.
All flights in and out of the US are expensive these days. As is the country when you're there (my credit card is still bruised from this summer's trip to California and the West.
In more recent times we did a road trip from DC through the Blue Ridge Mountains to Ashville, turned south east to Savannah and then worked up through the Carolinas to DC and home. Flights were in and out of Dulles. That might be an option and then take an internal flight to your starting point.
All flights in and out of the US are expensive these days. As is the country when you're there (my credit card is still bruised from this summer's trip to California and the West.
I live in South Carolina. Whenever I fly to/from the U.K. I try and get Virgin/Delta via ATL. Generally everything runs on time and the service is good. I’ve no idea how US immigration is for UK citizens through ATL. I’d rather pay a little more knowing I’ve a reasonably good chance of no problems.
American Airlines also fly direct from London to Charlotte NC but they may be a little out of your way. Personally I avoid AA as I don’t find them as good as Delta/Virgin.
American Airlines also fly direct from London to Charlotte NC but they may be a little out of your way. Personally I avoid AA as I don’t find them as good as Delta/Virgin.
We have done both Atlanta and Dallas then onto Pensacola. Both airports we had no issues with immigration no more than 20 minutes. Then from Pensacola its a nice coastal drive to New Orleans. If you have time take the ferry from Fort Morgan to Dauphin Island rather than drive round the bay via Mobile
As above BA direct to Nashville or NOLA. ATL is one of my least favourite airports in the entire world and I’ve flown through 60 others in the last 4 years so personally I’d do anything to avoid it. Try google flights to look at open jaw flights, normally it’s cheaper doing it one way round rather than the other so if you’re not fussed about your itinerary order you could end up saving some money.
DJC76 said:
As above BA direct to Nashville or NOLA. ATL is one of my least favourite airports in the entire world and I ve flown through 60 others in the last 4 years so personally I d do anything to avoid it. Try google flights to look at open jaw flights, normally it s cheaper doing it one way round rather than the other so if you re not fussed about your itinerary order you could end up saving some money.
We quite often fly out of a different airport (although never heard the term "open jaw"!).New Orleans seems to have very limited flights but I am looking for next summer so that may explain it. Everything looking very expensive too but again, I think I'm looking a bit too soon.
ro250 said:
DJC76 said:
As above BA direct to Nashville or NOLA. ATL is one of my least favourite airports in the entire world and I ve flown through 60 others in the last 4 years so personally I d do anything to avoid it. Try google flights to look at open jaw flights, normally it s cheaper doing it one way round rather than the other so if you re not fussed about your itinerary order you could end up saving some money.
We quite often fly out of a different airport (although never heard the term "open jaw"!).New Orleans seems to have very limited flights but I am looking for next summer so that may explain it. Everything looking very expensive too but again, I think I'm looking a bit too soon.
Depending on how Deep South your Deep South tour is you could fly into Houston and cross into Louisiana that way. If you fancy including Texas because it’s the best state in the US of course I could keenly recommend San Antonio, hill country to the NW including Fredericksburg etc. That opens up Dallas and Austin as viable flight options. If you’re strictly sticking to the proper South I think the guys above are probably right and at some point ATL might have to feature. On a positive note it’s not far from there to Chattanooga and some of the cool places in Tennessee and NC that others have mentioned. ATL is a good spot to pick up a hire car too by virtue of its size.
DJC76 said:
fiatpower said:
I've flown Heathrow to Raleigh with BA and Heathrow to Nashville with Virgin. Both were good flights and reasonably cheap when I used them in the last couple of years.
Presumably via somewhere else?fiatpower said:
DJC76 said:
fiatpower said:
I've flown Heathrow to Raleigh with BA and Heathrow to Nashville with Virgin. Both were good flights and reasonably cheap when I used them in the last couple of years.
Presumably via somewhere else?DJC76 said:
shakotan said:
Virgin go to Nashville too, prices seemed fairly on par with the Orlando route went I travelled.
Not direct they don t, they will gladly sell you a connecting ticket (probably with Delta) but that s always a pain in the arse in the US.We flew in and out of Atlanta in June with Virgin and it was a pretty good experience. One benefit if you have any time to kill before the flight home is the Porsche Experience Centre is next to the airport and you can pay $5 to visit the small museum and watch people going around the various tracks they have. Or book a driving experience if you have more time (and money
)They have a cafe and restaurant there as well.

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