vikeshunter

Anybody here do this and care to share their experience? Place my family lives is served by the majors, through mostly regionals but a few mainline per day, but unfortunately SW doesn’t serve there yet (FSD). TIA


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Proximity

Looks like you can get to ORD, DEN, or DFW multiple times per day.

MDW is going to give you the most seniority and has a pretty good hotel/crashpad situation. Transport between MDW-ORD is a hassle.

DAL you'd face the same transport issues.

In DEN you would be more junior, but it's slightly easier due to not having to move between airports.

I'd plan on MDW (well might be OAK for 1-2 months) to start with. Have you commuted before? Quite a few ORD-FSD flights are on CRJ, which brings another set of challenges.

If at all possible, plan to move to a base. Especially at Southwest, living at a base makes things way easier. We don't have commutable trips so you'll need a hotel/crashpad to stay at either on the front of back of each trip. Also, you miss out on chances to make more money as a commuter (although right now those opportunities are infrequent).

Peacock

Just glancing at today’s departures it looks like Chicago, Denver, and Dallas get the most. Unfortunately both Chicago and Dallas would require getting across town after a flight, which would be very painful long term. Maybe Denver?

Grumpyaviator

Denver as soon as you can, there are a few who do that commute.

Timmay

PM sent...

DarkSideMoon

It is definitely inconvenient, but doable. If they don't want to use the CTA, they might be able to plant a junker car at either an ORD crashpad or hotel near the blue line. Then just drive to MDW. Cumberland stop to MDW is about an hour in traffic.

If they don't mind public transportation the blue line picks up in the basement of O'hare and you can transfer to the orange line easily downtown. Takes maybe 20 minutes longer than driving on days there are traffic (there will be traffic any day you're commuting....). I just use the time to catch up on logbooks and other paperwork.

Just a few possible options!

ZapBrannigan

I commuted from an AA city to DAL for several years. So flew into DFW and took the light rail to Love Field/Inwood Station. Was $2.50 and easily the best part of my commute.

Once in a blue moon if I was in a hurry i would Uber, but getting between airports in Dallas is a cake walk. Give yourself an hour door to door and you’ll have no problem. Maybe 90 minutes gate to gate.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Skyward

I agree, the Light rail DFW-DAL is easy. Way easier than ORD-MDW,, imo.


Vikeshunter, I commuted for a long time (BWI) and never needed a crashpad. I needed very few hotels also (only if doing an AM trip). I would get the latest PM trip I could, commute in the first day, take a nap in the sleep room at the end of the trip if needed, and catch the first flight home the next morning. I’m a “night owl” so it worked great. For an AM (), I’d do a hotel the night before to get a good night’s sleep. A few trips were commutable both ends but it takes some trading around. The commute is definitely easier on SWA because you only need one flight if it gets in an hour prior. Off line requires 2 flights (and they won’t let you pre-board like SW). It’s doable though. I used Delta quiet often if the timing worked better.