<p>Any tips would be appreciated for the best/most reliable/ affordable ways to travel from the western states. There's an old CC thread from 2007, but maybe some things have changed. Pros and cons between flying to Ithaca or Syracuse? Thanks!</p>
<p>No matter what, you’ll have to connect somewhere. Your best bet is to look at SYR and ITH. If it is near the time of a break, you can take a Cornell bus to and from SYR for $25 each way, but cabs to and from SYR any other time cost $145. A cab to ITH is $16. You should definitely consider these prices, as well as the fact that it takes about 1.5 hours to get to SYR from campus, in making your decision. American (formerly US Airways), United, and Delta go to ITH, and the same plus JetBlue, Air Canada, and Allegiant fly to SYR. You’ll get more choices in SYR on airport connections and flight frequency, but it is less convenient once you land…</p>
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<p>Hi. Can you post a link with info re this? The private bus service I’ve been using to get to SYR is $70. Thanks!</p>
<p>Flying to Syracuse/Binghamton is pretty popular, then taking a bus or cab down/up to Cornell.</p>
<p>@eetrojan: check out cornelltickets.com and click on Cornell Bus Services. Does the bus service you use also operate during non-break periods?</p>
<p>@bigredengr: thanks! I have been buying transport for my son on buses operated by Airport Limousine Service. The cost is actually $85, a bit more than the $70 I was remembering. Unless there’s a good reason to pay more, $25 sounds better than $85.</p>
<p>I don’t know for sure that they operate during non-break periods, but I would think so.</p>
<p>Their contact information is on this Cornell web page:</p>
<p>[Cornell</a> University - Search Cornell](<a href=“Cornell University | Search Pages”>Cornell University | Search Pages)</p>
<p>That page then links to this private page:</p>
<p>[url=<a href=“http://www.transportationsithaca.com/]http://www.transportationsithaca.com/[/url”>http://www.transportationsithaca.com/]http://www.transportationsithaca.com/[/url</a>]</p>
<p>I wonder why the Cornell page doesn’t reference the less expensive Cornell Bus option?</p>
<p>Thank you all for your responses! I heard the Ithaca airport may be undergoing some renovations, so maybe it will be more reliable during the Winter.</p>
<p>^^
I was on the limousine service a couple of days ago. The engine blew out while I was on it and I wound up missing my flight. The three other people who missed their flights had to stay in the Best Western overnight and get another flight the next morning.</p>
<p>I, however, bullied my way onto a later flight (standby) and then made the “limousine” (it’s a bus…) company send me a check for $316-- change fee, refund of my $85, and taxi fare from LAX to my house.</p>
<p>@Saugus</p>
<p>Have you used the Cornell Bus to get to SYR? Any differences relative to the “limousine” service’s bus? Thanks!</p>
<p>@eetrojan, here’s my two cents:</p>
<p>My son is a freshman this year, and am just learning about travel to and from Ithaca from the west coast. This past Thanksgiving, my son’s flight was cancelled out of Ithaca while he was at the airport, and he was rescheduled to fly out of Syracuse. The Cornell bus tickets were all sold out. I called Airport Limousine (a bus), and the dispatcher was very helpful in explaining the options. In the end, the Airport Limousine dispatcher called the bus, which was already on its route, and had it swing by the Ithaca airport (part of the route, but no one scheduled for pick up) to pick up my son to take him to Syracuse, all within 30 minutes. </p>
<p>So, I will always first check to see if there are tickets available on the Cornell bus because they are $25 each way. But Airport Limousine is a good second option, especially over a taxi, at $85 one way. They also pick up from a couple of places on campus, including RPCC (freshman dorms) eight times a day.</p>
<p>Both options are very similar in terms of routes and pick up locations. One is cheaper, sells out quickly, and operates only on holiday breaks. The other is flexible, expensive and operates everyday, I think.</p>
<p>I have both websites bookmarked.</p>
<p>^^
I have not used Cornell’s bus service because it always sells out. I used to just used taxis.</p>
<p>We fly our D on JetBlue from the West Coast to JFK, then to Syracuse. If you buy the tickets early, you can get a great price on airfare.
We used Cornell’ Bus service to bring D to Syracuse. Price was $25. If you buy your tickets online before hand, you should be OK, she had no problems getting a seat. My D said they had two buses waiting at RPCC for the 7:45 am run on 12/21 for all the students trying to get to the airport or train station.
On the return trip, we did check when the Cornell Bus service was available. (It only runs certain times during the break) before we scheduled a return flight to Syracuse…
There appears to be only bus service from Syracuse on 1/15 and then again from 1/19-1/21. Just hope the plane doesn’t get delayed getting to Syracuse.</p>
<p>Here is the website: [CornellTickets.com</a> - Cornell Bus Services](<a href=“http://cornelltickets.universitytickets.com/user_pages/category.asp?id=25]CornellTickets.com”>http://cornelltickets.universitytickets.com/user_pages/category.asp?id=25)</p>
<p>From my understanding, flying to/from Ithaca is an awful idea because the airport is so small compared to something nearby like Syracuse.</p>
<p>The bus ticket is ~$25, $50 both ways.</p>
<p>I appreciate this thread as my D was accepted ED and we (and, much more often, she) will be making this trip for the next 4 years! When she visited in October, not knowing about alternatives, she flew from the bay area to Ithaca (US Air through PHL) and it worked perfectly and the airport was just 10 minutes from campus. Admittedly, it was very expensive.</p>
<p>After reading this thread, I just checked kayak for August and the differential between flying into Syracuse and Ithaca round trip is ‘just’ $100. However, after paying $50 for bus service, it seems surprising to me that the recommendation is to drive by bus for an hour to save $50. (Not that we don’t all want to save money but I also see an advantage to departing from an airport close to home so that if a flight is cancelled, you can get back to your dorm easily.)</p>
<p>Is it that Ithaca is so much smaller and the likelihood of cancellation in bad weather is so much higher? Makes me wonder if flying in and out of Ithaca is the way to go in August and May but maybe not for winter break? Lots to learn…</p>
<p>Collage1- I’m thinking that too. I hear the Ithaca airport doesn’t have de-icing equipment, but have also heard they may be undergoing renovations and that you can get stuck in Syracuse in bad weather as well. So, I’m hoping we get this figured out. Also wondering how many from the west go to Cornell Days in April and Parent weekend in the Fall as the flights are so expensive.</p>
<p>I agree with you that flying out of Syracuse, to save $50, is not worth it. </p>
<p>The benefit of Syracuse is that there are more flight times available, and the prices are significantly cheaper than Ithaca as the travel day approaches. If you are able to schedule a flight way ahead, especially a flight during a school break, the Ithaca airport is superior because it is close, and the ticket prices are more in line with Syracuse.</p>
<p>This is my experience with west coast travel.</p>
<p>I heard from a Californian that it can take 2-3 days to get there (or go home), even in decent weather, due to cancelled flights. Have others had this experience? Freaking out a little about that, so some encouraging posts would be nice. Thanks.</p>