07/2007 - Continental/United Deals to the DR.

[Rubicon]

EWR to POP on CO is a great run in my opinion. I've done that flight many times over the last 6 years. Never used anything else for the DR except CO to Santiago once in awhile. Great service. You get into pop at a decent time - 1pm. You get back to NY at a decent time - 5 or 6pm.

I agree, and I did it as well over the past 6 years. But then I started looking into Jet Blue when I couldn't get a flight on CO. JB flights, more often than not, run a couple of hundred cheaper than CO; had more frequent flights; it seems a somewhat shorter and easier drive to JFK as opposed to EWR for me; and, JB arrives in POP at 11:30am and returns to JFK at 4pm. Helpful when you still have a 3 -4 hour drive after returning to the states.

I have enough miles for a final flight with CO and then I'm done with them.

[Jimmydr]

I have enough miles for a final flight with CO and then I'm done with them.

Never say "done" its never ending.

[Rubicon]

Never say "done" its never ending.

You're right. I'm done with them unless and until they can compete with JB. I don't see it happening anytime soon.
The only real competition CO ever had was the Business/First class they provided. But for a 3 hour 15 minute flight, I can overlook that.

[mrblackluv]

yep..
EWR-POP on CO..is my preferred route.
I get the free bump to first class most of the time as well.

To answer my own question about parking when flying out of JFK...
I drove to Howard Beach, Queens, and parked on the street about 3 blocks from the Air Train Station. Air Train was 5 bucks each way. It wasn't bad at all, and my car had no issues being on the street in Queens. (It seems to be a decent residential neighborhood).

However...I got stopped for questioning by Homeland Security in JFK on the return.

I flew Jetblue this trip..and landed about 3:40PM.
They sent most of the black solo male travelers to lane 14. (no conspiracy nonsense..we were defnitely screened/selected).

There were maybe 12 of us on the plane, and 10 of us were sent to that lane. All others from the plane were sent to random lanes as the volume increased/decreased.

They asked the standard stuff..and I wasn't really concerned...but I'm still curious as to why they did that..

Anyway..turns out I was flagged and asked to take a walk.
I figured it would be for a search..but I was wrong.

I went to a room with about 50 other people. 90% were foreigners.
I waited 90 minutes, getting more annoyed by the minute for them to get to me, after which they said my name and birthdate matches some questionable person....and told me I could leave.

Never asked me one question..and couldn't give me anymore information.

I also re-tested my carry-on return issues in the DR.
I always take just a carry-on, but I previously have had problems with them trying to take my cologne, nail clippers, razor handles/cartridges, and lots of other stuff that is supposed to be legal to fly with...(I have issues only on the return...and only from the DR).

So my last few trips..I just said screw it and checked my carry-on on the return flight.

I tried again on this trip..and again...same problems.

[trEPP33]

I'm closer to EWR but often fly out of JFK. As mentioned Jet Blue is often much cheaper and more comfortable. Not only are they cheaper but they don't charge for that first bag. Continental charges $25 making them even more expensive.

I'm waiting for prices to fall to book my next trip to POP but as of now and through December Continental is only offering 3 flights a week (Sat, Sun. & Thur.).

[blazaveli]

I flew out of EWR once during my first trip to but it has been Jetblue ever since. Much more convenient for me living in Harlem to just hop on the subway and I can get someone to car sit for me so works out best. Not to mention the flights have been cheaper than flying out of EWR.

[DCIronman]

You guys in NY and NJ are more fortunate than you know. First of all, there are no direct flights to the DR from the DC area. You're always gonna have a layover in either NY or FL. And decent flights below $400 are so rare now, that I jump on any ticket that price or lower. Regardless of whether I had a trip planned or not.

But I do acknowledge that other states have it worse. Trying to get one of my childhood buddies to take a trip with me now that he finally has some disposable income. But flights to the DR from DFW are $700 to $800 on average. I would never go to the DR if I had to pay that much for a ticket.

[LJDMV]

Prices now suck over all from anywhere other than EWR/JFK or MIA. I have been looking for a low price flight all year from DCA or Other airport in DC. I would love to see a r/t now for under 400 with taxes included. It all started after jan 2011 that i noticed the prices got very high. Last year I was paying a little under 420 for a r/t flight and i thought that was high. Now i wish those times would come back. There used to be a flight on copa airlines from the DC area that was cheap to STI and then they stopped that...

[DCIronman]

Prices now suck over all from anywhere other than EWR/JFK or MIA. I have been looking for a low price flight all year from DCA or Other airport in DC. I would love to see a r/t now for under 400 with taxes included. It all started after jan 2011 that i noticed the prices got very high. Last year I was paying a little under 420 for a r/t flight and i thought that was high. Now i wish those times would come back. There used to be a flight on copa airlines from the DC area that was cheap to STI and then they stopped that...

Yup. That Copa flight to STI was awesome. Even though it had a layover in PTY, you still got to STI by 3:30pm. I caught that flight in June for $397. I was fucking ecstatic about that flight schedule. Then Copa ended it for some reason.

I remember when the average flight into SDQ from DCA was under $400. Hell, I'm about ready to start listening to SeaWeed and make Jamaica my goto Caribbean destination if flights to the DR continue to go up in price.

[SeaWeed]

Prices now suck over all from anywhere other than EWR/JFK or MIA..

isn't that the truth.....out of Tampa or Orlando FL it does cost a small fortune to fly into POP......

the only cheap flights I can get are Orlando to Montego Bay, Jamaica......
cause you have JetBlue, AirTran, Spirit, American, Delta and even Copa etc all competing against each other...
which isn't a bad thing.......

but it does limit my choices if I want to go to the DR, Colombia, etc at a cheap fare......

paying $600 to fly into POP is out of the question for this guy......
two years ago I did get a flight on AA for $300 to POP......but those days are long gone
Spirit doesn't even want to fly anymore to certain destinations if there is any kind of competition....
Spirit has cut back to a couple flights a week to Montego Bay, Jamaica......and their airfare is ridiculous nowadays

[runmemphis]

the only cheap flights I can get are Orlando to Montego Bay, Jamaica......
cause you have JetBlue, AirTran, Spirit, American, Delta and even Copa etc all competing against each other...
which isn't a bad thing.......

I LOVE the competition between airlines to Montego Bay....then we have no competition between mongers for the punani in Negril...Best of Both Worlds!!

[Rubicon]

.......and long overdue!

I was sitting back tonight and, after doing nothing but reading posts for the past 6 weeks, decided I need to get away and get on down to POP for a minute. I had an outstanding ticket from April 2011 and went ahead and rebooked it. After doing so I checked in online (Economy). When I started the check-in it indicated I could upgrade for, I think, $169.00. Well, I know that, typically, if you bypass that page a few pages later it will provide the offer to upgrade again for even more of a reduced price. When I got to that page I intended to pay the $119.00 fee to upgrade and I damned near did until I noticed it indicated that I was going to automatically be put on a standby list for the upgrade.

I thought, why not. I certainly had nothing to lose. I printed out my Boarding pass for Economy and logged out. For some reason I decided to check my e-mail and, Ill be DAMNED, there was an e-mail saying I had been upgraded. What's surprising to me is that I hadn't flown Continental much last year. When I was buying a ticket damned near every month I wasn't getting treated this well. Maybe they heard I was leaving them for Jet Blue.

Well, off to POP in the morning.

[SeaWeed]

.......and long overdue!

I was sitting back tonight and, after doing nothing but reading posts for the past 6 weeks, decided I need to get away and get on down to POP for a minute.
Well, off to POP in the morning.

god bless you guys that enjoy those short trips to the Caribbean....anything less than a week is a tease to this guy

Enjoy!

[Rubicon]

god bless you guys that enjoy those short trips to the Caribbean....anything less than a week is a tease to this guy

Enjoy!

Unfortunately, at this point it's either that, or nothing. I used to travel for 3-4 weeks at a time. Went back to work and, well, I imagine you know the rest. Got a good 6 days so I'm cool.

[jose1234]

Looks like Continentals and Unites milage award program merges on March 3, 2012.

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/uni...me_latest_news

[el toro]

I'm looking at flights for August and September now. August is average of $1,000--no bueno. I usually go in September after the fares drop mid to end of month, but was thinking of going sooner. September is $471 around the second week and all other weeks showing close to or in the 7-$800 range. I think United fucked everything up.

[No Worries]

I'm looking at flights for August and September now. August is average of $1,000--no bueno. I usually go in September after the fares drop mid to end of month, but was thinking of going sooner. September is $471 around the second week and all other weeks showing close to or in the 7-$800 range. I think United fucked everything up.

1000 dollars to fly to the DR? OH HELL NO!!!!

[dmoney]

I'm looking at flights for August and September now. August is average of $1,000--no bueno. I usually go in September after the fares drop mid to end of month, but was thinking of going sooner. September is $471 around the second week and all other weeks showing close to or in the 7-$800 range. I think United fucked everything up.

yes they did. i am really considering the JFK to STI option and shelling out the $70-80 (or however much) to get to sosua. Its going to be cheaper than paying $700+

[joeysterr]

1000 dollars to fly to the DR? OH HELL NO!!!!

That's what made me go to Rio last year. Flying to the DR or to Brazil was the same price, I figured I might as well right

[jacknback]

How many people besides psriches watching the real as it tops 2 ?????