US Holiday Destinations?

[Guest Northy]

Hi guys,I normally fly the European summer holiday destinations,ie: Most UK airports to Ibiza,Greece,Canary Islands,Portugal,other Spanish resorts,you get the picture...I would like to start flying to holiday destinations in the USA ie: Miami....I dont want to fly from the UK to these resorts but from within the States,I hardly ever fly in the States apart from the UK, so has anyone got any USA holiday destinations they could share with me?Thanks,Regards,Martin.

[Guest jgreth123]

>Hi guys,>>I normally fly the European summer holiday destinations,ie:>Most UK airports to Ibiza,Greece,Canary Islands,Portugal,other>Spanish resorts,you get the picture...>>I would like to start flying to holiday destinations in the>USA ie: Miami....I dont want to fly from the UK to these>resorts but from within the States,I hardly ever fly in the>States apart from the UK, so has anyone got any USA holiday>destinations they could share with me?>>Thanks,>Regards,>Martin.Hmm...MiamiOrlandoDaytonaWashington, D.C.Virginia BeachNew York CityNiagara FallsHonoluluAnchorage ( lot of cruises start in this area )New Orleans ( not nearly as much as before though, but Mardi Gras is still popular )Los AngelesSan FranciscoPortland, Oregon ( popular amongst windsurfers for The Gorge )SeattleChicagoMemphis ( 3 times a year, Memphis in May BBQ competition, Elvis week, and annual COGIC [Church of God In Christ] convention )Phoenix is growing as a tourist spotGrand CanyonLas VegasRenoAtlantic CityDenverAspenBostonPadre Island ( south Texas )Corpus Christie (sp?)Jackson Hole ( Idaho I think, ski resort )Minneapolis/St PaulIndianapolisThere's many more but those are the ones that come off the top of my head. Keep in mind that not all vacation spots are tropical weather. Lots to see/do in the northern half of the US. :(

[RFields5421 1]

There are plenty of holiday destinations, but it is unusual for the average family in the US to fly to a resort like destination.By and large automobile trips up to 1,000 miles are the preferred method of travel for a one week vacation.Most people in the US will never visit another country during their lifetime - so all travel will be inside the us on regular airlines - though that is shifting to low cost carriers.The large charter airline system in Europe doesn't exist in the US.During the winter months - there will be more flights by American, Delta, United, US Airways and the others to the Caribbean, Mexico and Hawaii.During the summer the traffic goes more north than to islands and beaches - though some in the US itself get a bit of traffic in the summer.As an example - US Airways serves about 10 cities in Europe with B752 and A330 aircraft in the summer months only - starting in late May or early June. Those aircraft fly Caribbean routes during the winter.Outside the US 'beach' destinations:PHNL & PHOG - HawaiiMMUN - Cancun - MexicoMKJP & MKJS - JamaicaTJSJ - Puerto RicoMYNN & MYGF - BahamasAny other English speaking island in the CaribbeanInside the US holiday destinations:#1 is either KLAS - Las VegasorKMCO - Orlando -Disney WorldThe other top vacation spots are most likely:New York CityKJFK/ KLGA/ KEWR/ KPHL is closeWashington DCKIAD/ KDCA/ KBWILos AngelesKLAX/ KSNA/ KBUR/ KONT/ KLGBOthers popular in the summerKSEA - for Alaska cruisesKPDXKSFO - "The coldest winter I ever spend was a summer in San Francisco" Mark Twain - and very true - still one of the world's top ten cities to visit - IMHOPopular year round:KMSY - New OrleansKPHX - PhoenixKDEN - DenverKSAN - San DiegoKMIA - MiamiKATL - AtlantaKORD - ChicagoKBOS - BostonKMEM - MemphisKDFW - DallasKHOU - HoustonKSAT - San AntonioKSLC - Salt Lake CityKMSP - MinneapolisWinter resortsKEGE - Near Aspen which cannot take large charter jetsKRIL - even better Colorado ski country airport (One of these has B752 traffic in the summer by COA and AAL)KJAC - A few flights - though in the summer folks will fly to Salt Lake City or Denver and drive to YellowstoneBeach destinationsKORF - VirginiaKSAV - Savannah GeorgiaKCHS - Charleston South CarolinaKMYR - Myrtle Beach South CarolinaKPVD - Rhode IslandKBRO - Brownsville / South Padre (Texas)KHRL - Harlengin / South Padre (Texas)KMOB - Mobile AlabamaKPNS - Pensacola FloridaKDAB - Daytona Beach FloridaKMLB - Melbourne Florida (Cape Kennedy - though most folks will fly to Orlando and drive over)

[RFields5421 1]

There is one really interesting US group - about the only surviving Air Travel Club in the US.NomadsThey were formed with US CAA regulations were loosened in the 1960's.Based in Detroit (KDTW) they purchased a DC-7B in 1965.In 1971 - a Lockheed Electra was purchased.In 1975 - they entered the jet age buying a Convair 990. In a Thanksgiving trip to Eleuthera in the Bahamas in 1975 with both the Electra and Convair flying - the club crosses one million aircraft miles and 90 million passenger miles.The 990 was retired in 1979, but the Electra was still flying.Nomads sold the Electra and bought a B727-100 in 1981.The Club chartered five (5) Concorde flights in 1985 for trips to London.In 1993 they moved to a B727-200 which is flying today.The aircraft has 92 business class seats.They've flown over 9 million aircraft miles and 850 million passenger miles.2007 trips http://www.nomadstravel.org/trips/trip_sta...rip_status.html

[Guest Northy]

Hi Guys,Thanks for the replys..So many places I didn't realise....I didn't know the US had no charter airline like Europe.Whats the reasoning behind that? Is there no call for it,or do the major airlines fly to most destinations?Thanks,Regards,Martin.

[RFields5421 1]

The US has a few "scheduled" charter carriers - but by and large US regulations extremely limit the type of setup that exists in Europe.The US is so large that traveling outside the country takes an effort - which most people don't want to do.Also US work and living habits are different than Europe.Probably a full third of US workers do not take off a full week during the year - instead using their time in shorter one or two day increments.The geography of the US is a huge factor. People live 250, 500, 1,000, 3,000 miles from their families.My wife and I have taken trips flying to Fort Lauderdale, FL; Hartford, CT and Portland, OR to visit children or her brother.We've driven to Houston, TX; Arkansas; New Orleans and Mobile, AL to visit other family members.If I was able, we'd fly to Mobile this weekend for a wedding.By the time we finish visiting family on a three year schedule - there isn't much vacation or money left for 'leisure'.Travel in the US is too individualized. Americans don't like to vacation in groups, want freedom to drive around when they are on vacation and freedom to change their schedule.The popular destinations are well covered by the "regular" airlines in the US if we want to fly.

[scott967 62]

>Outside the US 'beach' destinations:>>PHNL & PHOG - HawaiiHmmm....And here I thought all this time we were IN the US!!! Admission Day is Aug 17 this year :)scott s..

[scott967 62]

I don't know how it compares to Europe, but we have a charter outfit Vacations Hawaii, which I think is owned by Boyd Gaming. They use Omni Air Intl for the PHNL/KLAS route.scott s..

[Guest PARADISE]

Why don't you make a virtual flight to the US from the UK on your favorite airline, then "rent" a light twin and make a virtual airtour holiday of our country. It's how I visit locations I know I'll probable never get to in real life. Just a thought.John M

[brucek 38]

Just to add to John's comments:If you were, say, to "fly" your favorite airline and aircraft to KBOS, then "rent" a GA twin like the Baron, you could do some neat flying down the east coast- from KBWI hop across the Appalachians to KPIT, follow the Ohio river down to the Mississippi (will take you through KCVG), maybe "jump" to Denver (try KBJC, the airport that I fly out of), KBJC to KEGE (Baron could be a problem with MSA's in excess of 14,000'), hook up with I-80 to the north and fly in hops all the way to the SFO Bay Area. You'll sees some really different terrain and scenery.Bruce.

[RFields5421 1]

If KLAS was in Europe - 1/2 to 2/3 of the aircraft arrivals would be charter airlines - not mainline regular airlines.Personally I believe the multiple nations make it very hard for the 'big' airlines to exert a level of control over the market like they do in the US.

[atc_scott 22]

Reggie,Great post, I was going to post here but you have it covered!Think I might try one of these...:)Cheers,Scott

[Jim Robinson 122]

Hi Bruce, How is Jeffco these days? I went to A&P school there in the early 80s. Colorado Aero Tech was the name of the school, it was situated on the far west end of the airport. Is it still there? I tried to find it a while back via a google search; I found a "Colorado Aero Tech", but it wasn't on the Jeffco arpt as I recall, and didn't seem to be associated in any way with the school I went to. It's probably changed hands 20 times since I was there. It was a privately owned school when I started, but it was owned by Frontier Airlines by the time I graduated. Probably "the beginning of the end", so to speak. Thanks for posting that link, I can even see roughly where I lived on the north end of Westminster while I was there :) .Jim

[brucek 38]

Hi Jim,Jeffco gets busier and busier. The taxiway Alpha has been relocated a year ago to make more clearance with the 29R/11L runway, which will allow larger jets (wider wingspan) into the airport. It also has a new name - "Rocky Mountain Metro", emphasising the status of a Denver reliever airport.The location you refer to sounds like the Stevens ramp at the airport. I don't wander down to other end much :), my club is adjacent to the tower.Bruce.

[Geofa 108]

I'm making this flight in a couple weeks in a Baron...Stops at the Bonanza museum in Wichita, Santa Fe, Nm, Grand Canyon, Catalina, Olympic National Park, Victoria, Lake Almanor Calif., Chelen (Stehekin State) Washington, Jackson Hole...http://mywebpages.comcast.net/geofa/pages/rxp-pilot.jpgForum Moderatorhttp://geofageofa.spaces.live.com/http://forums.avsim.net/user_files/175452.jpg