<p>Got a great tip from one of you about American Airlines flying from New Orleans to Milwaukee.</p>
<p>Lots of choices, but not familiar with these airports, so hope can get some input, as I will unfortunately always have to change planes. </p>
<p>Got stranded on first attempt using United, not enough time between connecting flights, so learned my lesson.</p>
<p>So, if you change planes in these airports, how much time between flights should you give yourself.</p>
<p>ORD it says Chicago, so I'm guessing that's O'Hare</p>
<p>Saint Louis</p>
<p>Dallas/Fort Worth</p>
<p>Haven't even checked out price yet. Just looking who is going to get me there the quickest so we don't have to miss too much school for campus visits.</p>
<p>Really want to visit Marquette while students are on campus, and hopefully in the winter as well</p>
<p>I can only respond about ORD (you’re correct that it’s O’Hare). I always give myself at least an hour to make that connection. You’ll probably fly to Milwaukee out of a “commuter” terminal, “F”, which is quite a hike from where the larger airplanes arrive. The one advantage about flying into O’Hare on the way to Milwaukee is that you don’t have to be overly concerned about getting stranded. Milwaukee is only about a 60-90 minute drive from Chicago, so if there’s a problem with a connecting flight, you have the option of renting a car and driving.</p>
<p>Winter can always be a challenge flying to or through Chicago!</p>
<p>Montegut, ORD is definitely O’Hare, and it’s the airport from hell. Avoid it if you possibly can unless you’re connecting mid-day, mid-week. Midway in Chicago is a great alternative if your connecting airline makes the hop to Milwaukee from there. Midwest Airlines hubs out of Milwaukee and that’s a nice regional airline – a possible nice option.</p>
<p>I chuckled last night as I crossed paths with you again on the Case Western sub-forum. We’re both investigating the same BME options!</p>
<p>Hi, Beastman! Thanks for the tip! I know, I’d rather avoid O’Hare, but trying to explore all options. Been such a Southwest girl for so long, forgot what other airlines are still out there. </p>
<p>Midwest doesn’t fly out of New Orleans. I can do Northwest and stop over in Memphis, a nice small airport. Just trying to avoid United at all costs.</p>
<p>I have to disagree with beastman. We live in chicago and I feel ORD is a phenomenal airport. Runs like a well-oiled machine. It’s big but very easy to get around, lots of personnel to help. I wish all airports were like ORD. It’s one of the best, I think.</p>
<p>Sorry to spark the OHare debate, but here’s the thing. We would really like to fly out early in the morning and arrive in Milwaukee midafternoon at the latest. </p>
<p>So if O’Hare does it, because of the proximity to Milwaukee, how much time should I give myself to get from one part of the airport to another, as I would be changing planes?</p>
<p>If O’Hare does have helpful personnel, this will make changing planes much easier. </p>
<p>Also, do they use puddle jumpers, where we wouldn’t be able to bring a carryon any bigger than a backpack? Rather not have checked luggage if changing planes. This is what caused us to miss our Charlotte connection last time. We had to go onto the tarmac to collect our tagged carryons that had to be checked. As someone who works in the legal industry, I was amazed that this practice existed.</p>
<p>We’ve done the connection to Wisconsin dozens of times through ORD, but I have to disagree that it’s orderly…even if we’ve had a two hour layover, it’s routine for the bags not to make the connection, but again, that’s connecting from the B or C gates over to the F terminal.</p>
<p>Montegut, you can make that connection between the gates in about 15 minutes of HUSTLING, but I’d allow a little more time. They are “puddle jumpers,” but we’ve never had a problem at ORD with getting our bags out. They use the “tarmac” pickup and collection at many airports that either are regional airports or when you’re connecting to/from a regional airport.</p>
<p>Truth be told, if it wasn’t winter and we weren’t going in or out of Chicago at rush hour, we’d consider renting a car and driving to Milwaukee. Milwaukee just is not the easiest airport to get to, unfortunately.</p>
<p>Agreed on not driving in winter or rush hour. Looking more on the short term events that we’d really like to attend, like Accepted Student Day or Destination Marquette or, here’s hoping, Scholarship Day, that I’ve heard discussed on this board. </p>
<p>When have more time, like checking in and out or breaks, will probably have son do the Chicago Milwaukee drive or megabus or Amtrak. Will depend on air fare and schedule at those points. Yes, maybe Christmas break will be better to bite the bullet and do the Milwaukee connection. Don’t want to get too hung up on those free flights from Southwest if it costs too much time on breaks.</p>
<p>cpeltz-you’re the LA west coast, right? What airline do you take? Also, how are you getting son up to school for first day of school, driving or flying?</p>
<p>Thanks for the puddle jumper heads up. Do you have to go down the stairs to the tarmac to get your bags at O’Hare? Oh, my God, I’d be scared to death. I’m talking about the process where they tell you right before you’re boarding, if your bag is bigger than a purse, we’ll have to check it at the gate. Is that what you have to do on O’Hare connections to Milwaukee, and what airline?</p>
<p>Yes, we’re on the west coast, and we usually fly United as we’re elite members. Truly, it’s not frightening to go down the stairs - try it once with an open mind, it’s not like climbing a ladder! Actually, in the same plane, some airports bring out a jetbridge, some bring up the stairs.</p>
<p>Son and I are heading out for Preview at the end of June. I plan to shut up (ooo, that will be tough ) and let him navigate the airport, security, etc., something I’ve always done in the past, so he’ll gain the confidence when he has to do it solo.</p>
<p>When we move him in - and I can’t believe it’s right around the corner - we’ll fly out with his stuff. He’s a guy, not sentimental at all, and I’ve seen some of the dorms and how small they are, so we’ll just check baggage/boxes. He doesn’t have a car and won’t need one there. Because we’re elite members, we can check four bags for free. My grown stepdaughters also live in Milwaukee, so anything we order online we’ll have shipped to them and they can bring it over.</p>
<p>Montegut, is MU your kid’s #1 choice? You know so much about it already, I’m impressed!</p>
<p>Yes, MU is number one choice. Visited last summer while on a trip to Chicago, and really liked it. </p>
<p>Is Preview something for admitted students? If it is, this is the kind of thing we want him to attend if he’s accepted. </p>
<p>Tried a search on Northwest this evening, random date, and flights leave around 4 and arrive around 11, very late in the evening. If son has to take a scholarship test the next day, I’d want to arrive mid afternoon at the latest so we can settle in and rest the night before. Having trouble finding those flights. Will keep looking, though.</p>
<p>So the tarmac thing, do you bring a regular carryon, but you pick it up on the tarmac, without having to go to the luggage carousel? Also, do you need to pick up your bags then bring them with you to your connecting flight, or will the airline take care of this for you? </p>
<p>And as for my knowledge of Marquette, have to credit the great people on this forum, who have been so helpful in answering my questions. There is still so much to explore, though, so I’ll be picking your brain when you come back from Preview. </p>
<p>So, what dorm are you going to live in, and what is your son going to major in?</p>
<p>Montegut, my S couldn’t attend the scholarship weekend, but went to the admitted students event, Destination Marquette, had an overnight and enjoyed it. The Preview is for incoming freshman, and apparently 75% of them attend one of the 4 days, then all go to Freshman Orientation which is for four days after they move in.</p>
<p>As far as the dorms, we’ll know in early June where he was assigned!</p>
<p>For the smaller places that don’t have room for full-size carryons, you gate check it for the small plane once you’ve gone past the gate, and pick it up again as soon as you deplane, so you don’t have to hassle with the baggage carousel. On the other leg of the flight with the larger planes, it’s just regular carryon. Pretty hassle free actually.</p>
<p>When we travel to Milwaukee from O’Hare I always favor using Wisconsin Coach Lines when the connecting flight options aren’t reasonable. They leave every hour (9AM - 10PM) from two different locations at O’Hare and have a couple of stops in Milwaukee including the airport and the train station (which is about 6 blocks from MU). I think the cost is about $24 one way. If you have to wait a long time or sprint for a connection it’s a very good option. </p>
<p>As far as Preview - it’s a terrific experience for the kids and they make instant friends. My D was the Student Director of Orientation programs when she was a junior and she thought it was even more fun for the new students than orientation (which is an absolute blast and one of the better orientation programs in the country.)</p>
<p>And yet more breaking news - Southwest Airlines is coming to Milwaukee in November! No details on destinations yet but sounds like there will at least be flights to Milwaukee that will fly through Kansas City.</p>
<p>Baymom, you made my day! Was just going to thank you for the Coach tip, then saw your next post on Southwest. Will take advantage of both for college visits/arrivals!</p>
) and let him navigate the airport, security, etc., something I’ve always done in the past, so he’ll gain the confidence when he has to do it solo.</p>