USA domestic/internal flights

[jaf65]

In June we are on holiday in USA, as part of the trip we are flying with Delta from Seattle to Nashville.

This is probably a stupid question but as I have never been on an internal flight over there, is it pretty much like flying from to Europe? Or are there an tips or does and don'ts?

Any help appreciated
Cheers

[LHRFlightman]

Same as over here, check-in, gate, board. Obviously you wont be asked to show a passport.

[Abc321]

We did Florida to Boston last year. have done lots of internal flights in Thailand too.

Nothing to report, just a normal flight. Americans have a bit of a thing about checking in online as soon as it opens so you can board earlier - must be to do with the carry on luggage. Don't understand it myself.

[jaf65]

That's great, thanks for the replies. I suspect this, but happy to have it confirmed.
Cheers

[Mortarboard]

LHRFlightman said:

Same as over here, check-in, gate, board. Obviously you wont be asked to show a passport.

You will.

For ID purposes. Unless you and your family all happen to have "Real ID" compliant US driving licenses.

You can, in theiry, travel without ID, but it requires other checks, but fir foreigners that might prove impossible.

Also, expect in many instances that your carry-on gets "gate checked"

M.

[LordGrover]

No help to you, but in ye olden dayes we used to buy a book of flight coupons. Typically five for £50 which granted five internal flights to anywhere mainland US. It was akin to boarding a bus. That was mid-late eighties.
It's changed a bit since then.

[cliffords]

LHRFlightman said:

Same as over here, check-in, gate, board. Obviously you wont be asked to show a passport.

It is however compulsory to wear a cowboy hat on all internal US flights.

[nvubu]

jaf65 said:

Or are there an tips or does and don'ts?Cheers

For once in the USA, you don't have to tip anyone for this.

[fiatpower]

I did a trip around a few cities a couple years ago for work and have to say I was impressed at how efficient their internal flights are. In the trip planning we gave ourselves the standard 2 hours and found ourselves sat around waiting a lot as it took minutes to get through security generally. Not sure if we were just lucky

[Sheepshanks]

fiatpower said:

I did a trip around a few cities a couple years ago for work and have to say I was impressed at how efficient their internal flights are. In the trip planning we gave ourselves the standard 2 hours and found ourselves sat around waiting a lot as it took minutes to get through security generally. Not sure if we were just lucky

We did Orlando to New York and, without mentioning it to us, they checked us in for the flight an hour before the one we were booked on. It was only on walking away from the desk that I realised. That didn't work for us as we had someone meeting us and we'd planned to eat at MCO - the girl was right grumpy about changing us back.

I don't know it's still a thing but when I travelled a bit within the US for work they'd often ask for volunteers to switch flights - I was told routine there to overbook, so getting there early and securing your seat might be worthwhile.

[MattyD803]

Don't be alarmed if you look round and there is a dog on a lap behind you, or across the aisle. The yanks seem to treat their internal flights like a bus/train over here, including taking pets.

We flew from New York to Vegas last April and I had to do a double take when I clocked the dogs! There were at least 2 in our immediate vicinity, so god knows how many where on board the entire flight!

[Matt Harper]

Non-stop, that's a 41/2 hour flight - In my experience (20+ years of US domestic - i.e. every week) Delta are the best of the non-budget carriers. If not traveling with young kids, I would try to secure an exit row, to give you a little more space. There will be an up-charge for those seats. Caveat is that exit rows and bulkhead seats tend to attract freakishly large passengers, so you may end up wrestling for the armrests.

On full flights, anything after boarding group 3 will be required to gate-check carry-ons.

[The G Kid]

On US domestic flights I have taken, it's pretty standard to pay for your hold luggage when you check in to the flight. It doesn't appear to be more expensive doing it that way rather than online before the flight (as per the European way). In fact, I think on some flights we took we couldn't pay for our baggage before we checked in.

You'll definitely need ID.

[MesoForm]

The G Kid said:

On US domestic flights I have taken, it's pretty standard to pay for your hold luggage when you check in to the flight. It doesn't appear to be more expensive doing it that way rather than online before the flight (as per the European way). In fact, I think on some flights we took we couldn't pay for our baggage before we checked in.

You'll definitely need ID.

That confused us on a flight from San Francisco to Las Vegas, couldn't see where to pay for checked luggage but our friend who lives in the US told us it's normal to just pay for it at the airport.
Didn't turn out much more expensive to fly first class on that route once you added in checked luggage so see if that's the case for you, we were on Alaska Airlines and they were the best seats we have ever sat in on a plane! They were premium economy size rather than beds.

Edited by MesoForm on Monday 9th March 16:09

[LHRFlightman]

Mortarboard said:

You will.

For ID purposes. Unless you and your family all happen to have "Real ID" compliant US driving licenses.

You can, in theiry, travel without ID, but it requires other checks, but fir foreigners that might prove impossible.

Also, expect in many instances that your carry-on gets "gate checked"

M.

I travel regularly 5 or 6 times a year, between LAX and SFO have have never been asked to show my passport. And my carry in has never been gate checked.

[wrencho]

MattyD803 said:

The yanks seem to treat their internal flights like a bus/train over here

This. With all the stereotypes attached! expect basic planes, limited service and a free for all boarding. Might be worth checking how many internal flights there are between your destinations on the day. It can be quite lucrative to get "bumped" onto a later flight. Last time I travelled from Houston to Corpus Christi the starting price was $500 which doubled to $1,000 five minutes later.

Wroth it if you aren't on a tight deadline and travel frequently.

[Mortarboard]

LHRFlightman said:

Mortarboard said:

You will.

For ID purposes. Unless you and your family all happen to have "Real ID" compliant US driving licenses.

You can, in theiry, travel without ID, but it requires other checks, but fir foreigners that might prove impossible.

Also, expect in many instances that your carry-on gets "gate checked"

M.

I travel regularly 5 or 6 times a year, between LAX and SFO have have never been asked to show my passport. And my carry in has never been gate checked.

I see your username

But for others....

https://www.travel.dod.mil/About/News/Article/arti...

M.

[The Redcoat]

wrencho said:

This. With all the stereotypes attached! expect basic planes, limited service and a free for all boarding. Might be worth checking how many internal flights there are between your destinations on the day. It can be quite lucrative to get "bumped" onto a later flight. Last time I travelled from Houston to Corpus Christi the starting price was $500 which doubled to $1,000 five minutes later.

Wroth it if you aren't on a tight deadline and travel frequently.

The free for all boarding depends on which airline you fly with. I'm currently on a United flight to Savannah and boarding was done by group - priority first, then window/middle/aisle, and finally basic economy.

OP - you will definitely need to show ID when you first go through security. You shouldn't need it for any connecting flights.

[Doggleg]

I fly internally regularly and I don't remember the last time I saw a flight that wasn't boarded by group. If you have a credit card or some other means of getting on an earlier group, use it because the overhead bins fill up quickly.

Also, buy your snacks and drinks in the airport and take them on with you. On a lot of flights you'll only get water or drip coffee and a biscuit even on the longer flights. People come on board with pizzas, burgers, all sorts of stuff so don't worry about doing it.

[alangla]

jaf65 said:

In June we are on holiday in USA, as part of the trip we are flying with Delta from Seattle to Nashville.

This is probably a stupid question but as I have never been on an internal flight over there, is it pretty much like flying from to Europe? Or are there an tips or does and don'ts?

Any help appreciated
Cheers

Delta Seattle to Nashville = change at Atlanta?
The airport there is colossal, once you’re off the first plane head for the gate for the second almost immediately as it may be a long walk and there’s various exhibitions from the local museums and art galleries to look at on the way.