Travelers who value cheap airplane tickets and cheap vacation packages often go out of their way to fly out of smaller airports that offer cheaper fares, smaller lines, fewer delays, and less stress.
A recent survey conducted by Harris Interactive found that 88 percent of the travelers who flew through alternative airports described having a happy experience. 77 percent of the respondents said that alternative airports were less stressful than traveling though major airports such as ATL, JFK, and LAX. 92 percent said that they would use an alternative airport in the future.
On average alternative airports are not only less stressful but cheaper as well. Average prices out of Milwaukees General Mitchell International Airport are $108 cheaper than nearby Chicago OHare. Parking is often much cheaper at smaller airports. Economy lots at Boston Logan start at $18 per day vs. $10 daily at Manchester, NHs airport, and $6 per day at Harfords Bradley airport.
One of the surest ways to have an unhappy airport experience is to suffer from flight delays. A recent list of the 100 most delayed flights includes many departing and landing in major airports such as Chicago OHare and Atlanta Hartsfield. Newark Liberty International had the most delayed flights, with 40.
If you want to see how much money you can save by considering a secondary airport, many online travel sites offer customers the ability to check a box on their home page so that they are quoted prices from nearby airports in addition to the largest airport in the area.
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