I'll be bear hunting near Talkeetna next August. We plan to fly to Anchorage from New Orleans and I'd appreciate any advice regarding which airline to book.

Delta and Northwest both offer one-stop flights for the same fare so I'll choose on the basis of service. Is one any better that the other regarding transporting rifle, amount of luggage, etc?

Thanks for your help.

Grizzly

Going to alaska then "alaska Airlines"

Watson Lake.

delta and northwest are the same. from mpls we usually go sun country which is usually 2-300 less than delta, but if you have air miles sun country is out of the picture

If you book with Delta be prepared for your flight times to change about once every two weeks from the time you book your flight until you leave. That's what happened to me last Oct. Funny, it cost me $400 to change my departure flight?

I do the delta/nw thing...last year through Seattle, this year going through Minneapolis and back through Salt lake. I think there are flights straight from Atlanta, which should be good for you- there are also flights from Detroit...

Get thyself an Alaskan Airline Visa card and start to fly cheaper, with the miles they give you just for signing up, you can go through Alaska Air's website and get there for about $500 - I just checked their website reservations for a week in August. And if you are going with another person, you can get a 50% discount (before all the fees) on the second (friend or relative) fare.

Last September, my wife and I flew from DFW for less than $900, total including fees and trip ticket insurance.

She since got her own card, and I spent some on a house we built, and this May we are flying for nothing except the baggage fee.

I hate to sound like a commercial, but it really is the best Alaska travel deal out there.

My parents, then living in Brooklyn, had neighbors that had seen photos of those giant cabbages in Alaska. They decided to go there on their vacation. They DROVE there but when they got to Alaska they brealized they had used up half of their vacation .So they turned around and drove back , never seeing the cabbages !!!

Just remember when trying to save $'s and booking flights with several stops and changes that there could be bagage problems ...

I sometimes get hunters that go that way and sometimes their stuff (guns) don't show up for several days.

Most of my hunters, as per my suggestion, use Ak Air all the way when available. And usually with much less if any baggage problems.

quote:

Originally posted by muskegex:
Just remember when trying to save $'s and booking flights with several stops and changes that there could be bagage problems ...

I sometimes get hunters that go that way and sometimes their stuff (guns) don't show up for several days.

Most of my hunters, as per my suggestion, use Ak Air all the way when available. And usually with much less if any baggage problems.

Granted I've always left from DFW, but I think if you book straight through on one reservation and arrive one day early that you will get your luggage 99% of the time. The extra day in Anchorage or Fairbanks is time well spent try to get over any jet lag and picking up last minute items. FYI, Wal-Mart in Anchorage has the best prices on Mountain House meals and bear spray, both items better bought there than carried on the plane. I also carry on at least one full set of hunting clothes, binoculars, and camera and you may want to wear your hunting boots despite the TSA hassle - no need to try and break in new boots. If all else fails a stop at Wally World, Sportsman's Warehouse, and Barney's Sports Chalet will handle just about any luggage disaster.

quote:

Originally posted by GrayDuck:
If you book with Delta be prepared for your flight times to change about once every two weeks from the time you book your flight until you leave. That's what happened to me last Oct. Funny, it cost me $400 to change my departure flight?

yup - ticket seems cheeper till they change it then charge you more.

Thanks for the advice. We plan to arrive 3 days early so we can fish in Homer for a day.That should be plenty of time for our luggage to catch up.

I visited in 2000 and arrived in Fairbanks. We couldn't find our rifles. We looked everywhere. After a half-hour of near panic, we found that airline was keeping them in a seperate room so no one else would claim them. Good idea, I just wish they had let me know beforehand.

quote:

Thanks for the advice. We plan to arrive 3 days early so we can fish in Homer for a day.That should be plenty of time for our luggage to catch up.

Ya think? My daughter and family came last summer from Tennesee and waited for a week for their luggage to show up, and that was after daily calls and knowing exactly where their luggage was. Nobody cared and they were blatent about it. Greg

Minimize changes to avoid having your luggage not arrive with you, going. Coming back it isn't that big a deal.

Look at Continental through Houston.

I foyr going through a guide, mail your gear to your guide/outfitter. Atleast you will know some stuff is here for you. 'sides the cost of checked baggage that the airlines keep on charging, its worth it.

I've had real bad luck with continental. Delta is really ramping up there service up here and AK air I havent had to many issues with.

I have a friend who fishes off the Alsec River in Glacier Park. Commercial fishes. I am finally going to go up for two weeks to help him open camp next May (2011) I want to take my Dodge Cummins one way on the AlCan, and the other way on the Ferry. How's the road these days?

Rich

quote:

Originally posted by Grizzly Albert:
I'll be bear hunting near Talkeetna next August. We plan to fly to Anchorage from New Orleans and I'd appreciate any advice regarding which airline to book.

Delta and Northwest both offer one-stop flights for the same fare so I'll choose on the basis of service. Is one any better that the other regarding transporting rifle, amount of luggage, etc?

Thanks for your help.

Grizzly

Griz:
My wife & I just made the same trip on our return from spring vacation but we, of course, had to take the extra leg from Anch. to Fairtown. Anyway, it was New Orleans to Chicago via American Air then Alaska Air from Chicago to Anch. Our baggage was checked all the way thru from N.O. to Fbks. & it got here without a hitch. I would strongly advise getting an Ak. Air. Visa card & use it. That's how we fly. Between mileage & companion fares, it's rather cheap. BTW, I'd make sure I get any meals/treats at the airports. Airlines are charging a fortune for crap, IMO. On the Chicago to Anch. leg it was something like $6.00 for a rat burger & chips (maybe fries). I refuse to pay for something like that. BTW we ate lunch at Macaroni's at the airport in Chicago & it was great and relatively inexpensive. Very good Italian. The flight to Anch. was about 6 - 61/2 hrs. Kinda long. Just for your info - good luck.
Bear in Fairbanks