Airfare Decision: Choosing to Spend More for a Flight to the Airport Nearest My Destination

In a world where time and convenience reign supreme, one traveler shares his preference for smaller airports, despite the potential added costs. This preference is especially evident in his frequent visits to Palm Springs and Santa Barbara, California.

The author often finds cheaper flights into Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) compared to the local airports, Palm Springs (PSP) or Santa Barbara (SBA). However, he values the time and effort saved by flying into the smaller airports of these cities, even if it means a higher price.

For instance, the cost difference between flying from New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) to Palm Springs or Los Angeles is significant, but the author argues that the additional cost is worth it for the quicker bag collection and faster security queues at smaller airports.

The transit or rental car cost to the final destination is another factor to consider. While renting a car from LAX to Palm Springs can easily cost over $100 for a one-way journey due to the one-way rental fees, smaller airports often offer more affordable rental options, albeit with a potential wait to be assigned a car.

Traffic between the airport and the final destination is another crucial factor. Given that both Palm Springs and Santa Barbara are approximately a 2-hour drive from Los Angeles, navigating the traffic-laden roads from LAX could add significant time to the journey. In contrast, smaller airports are easier to navigate, with fewer complications like buses, long walks, or going from building to building.

The author also highlights the benefits of smaller airports like San Diego International Airport, which he recommends as a convenient and well-connected smaller airport in the United States. Other examples of smaller airports that can be considered instead of larger counterpart cities include Colorado Springs (COL) instead of Denver (DEN), Flagstaff (FLG) instead of Phoenix (PHX), Hilton Head (HHH) instead of Savannah (SAV), Lincoln (LNK) instead of Omaha (OMA), Monterey (MRY) instead of San Francisco (SFO), Palm Beach (PBI) instead of Miami (MIA), and Portland (PWM) instead of Boston (BOS).

Interestingly, the author finds that larger airports tend to have more flight options, including red-eye flights and additional frequencies. However, he counters this by pointing out that smaller airports usually have faster security queues and quicker bag collection, making the overall travel experience more efficient.

Moreover, bigger airports tend to receive better aircraft and amenities, such as the American Airlines A321T out of LAX. Yet, the author argues that the time and effort saved by flying into smaller airports more than compensates for any perceived disadvantages.

In conclusion, the author's change in preference for airports when traveling underscores the importance of considering time, convenience, and overall travel experience over cost savings, especially when flying into smaller cities like Palm Springs and Santa Barbara.