Airport question

<p>I am looking at airline tickets for our D, who is just starting Wake, to come home to CA for Thanksgiving. Fares are outrageous going out of Greensboro - $800!! Is there a shuttle/bus service that can be purchased to Raeigh-Durham Airport? I could not find any info on one on the WF website. Do kids do that, or mostly just use Greensboro Airport? Thanks!</p>

<p>I haven't heard of a shuttle service to RDU. There used to be a shuttle service to the Charlotte airport, but I have no clue if it still exists.</p>

<p>I think that it's probably about 50/50 for which airport people use. It's certainly not absurd to hear of someone driving to Charlotte or Raleigh for a flight.</p>

<p>Charlotte is one of the most expensive airports in the US to fly in and out of, so I doubt if that will be a viable option. Something to consider though; have you noticed that the Thanksgiving weekend falls 1 week before final exams begin? So, depending on their schedule, kids could come home for Thanksgiving weekend, fly back to Wake, and then be done with exams 8-10 days later! I know that families want to be together during this special holiday but really, unless you have money to burn, the way the schedule is laid out I think that many long distance families are going to have to hope that their kids can find a local friend to spend Thanksgiving with. We live just over an hour away so I've already told my D that it's OK to invite students over to our house. I know it's tough but how can you justify two round trip tickets within less than a 2 week period?</p>

<p>Your daughter will make friends who will be driving to either airport.</p>

<p>EarthWake - thanks so much for the info on the final exam schedule. I hadn't realized that winter break was so close to Thanksgiving. We have family in Maryland and points east that would love to take D in for the holiday. Think I will hold off purchasing tickets for now and see how things develop.</p>

<p>You can usually find someone to give you a ride to whatever airport you need to go to: Greensboro, Charlotte or Raleigh. If you're willing to chip in for gas most people don't mind taking you along at all.</p>

<p>With our D going into her junior year, we have some experience with this. D goes in and out of Greensboro (GSO). She has to change planes to get to CT, but clearly it's not the same as going to CA!! She's always able to get a ride to/from GSO -- she chips in for gas. However, it would be less $$ for us, and a direct flight for her IF she could fly into/out of Raleigh-Durham (RDU). Although she could most likely get a ride TO RDU from a friend w/ a car who is headed in that direction, it's more difficult to coordinate the return ride. Her freshman year we picked up a flyer from some car service that was supposed to start offering rides to/from RDU -- but nothing ever came of it. We've even checked out the cab fare, but it's very expensive -- wipes out any savings in air fare. And yes, the whole final exam schedule is rather annoying, being so close to Thanksgiving.</p>

<p>Fortunately for us we are only 1 hr. from Wake for our freshman but our jr. is in school in Texas. I've been able to sometimes find reduced airfares at studentuniverse.com. Not always, but usually save about $75-$100. Sometimes their fares are actually higher than the ones on the carrier site, so always check around first.</p>

<p>I believe this is the link for the new bus service between Wake Forest and Raleigh- I hope this is helpful to you. I am personally unfamiliar with the service; I was just researching the the travel options to wake Forest.
Home</a> — Triangle Transit</p>

<p>Oh, be careful. I don't think this goes to Wake Forest University. The link is a TTA link, and that's the Triangle Transit Authority. Winston-Salem isn't part of the Triangle, which is Raleigh, Chapel Hill, and Durham (confusingly, Winston-Salem is part of the Triad, which is Greensboro, Winston-Salem, and High Point). I think that the bus that you found, LKADmom, goes to the city of Wake Forest, which is where Wake Forest University used to be located before it moved to Winston-Salem in 1954 (?).</p>

<p>How far is the original Wake Forest site from the current location? Thanks for the warning, ginnyvere!</p>

<p>It's about a two-hour drive.</p>

<p>Greensboro is a great airport to fly in and out of. It is very small, parking is easy, and there are never lines at security. The wfu shuttle service was downsized last year, and only offered trips on the weekends (it actually was run by Graylyn, the conference center that WFU owns). I don't now if they are still even doing it this year. It was $35 each way if I remember correctly. You can get information at the Benson Center ticket office. </p>

<p>Another option is to use the PTI airport transportation (index</a>) which you can schedule to come pick you up, and then you just go to the desk at the airport when you get back to the airport. It is reliable. Otherwise, it isn't very difficult to find a ride to the airport with a friend, especially if you offer them some money for gas (plus some). Northwest has multiple flights a day to Detroit, and you can connect just about anywhere from Detroit.</p>

<p>Charlotte is the next most popular airport to fly to, although I think it is about the same distance away from campus as RDU. I think it is because you can fly to more places from Charlotte (of course, it depends on where you are going), and because I think it is a nicer airport. The school does not offer any sort of shuttle service to Charlotte or RDU.</p>

<p>Try signing up for Travelocity Farewatcher It will email you when certain flights drop below a specified price.</p>

<p>I hope that helps!</p>

<p>Bumping this thread! WFU will help coordinate a car through the Benson Center for travel to RDU or CLT at $225 each way. The student arranging for the car (with a driver) has to pay the full fee and find the other 2 students to share the car (fare for three is $75 apiece), although my d advises that they are not allowed to put up a sign soliciting students to share rides, etc. They don’t make it easy! She would much prefer to fly directly rather than making a connection at CLT due to all of the “dead” time.</p>

<p>There is actually new information on the WFU site- they are going to have 10 seat shuttles available to RDU and CLT for the holiday breaks at $180 round trip.</p>