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CHARLOTTE, NC – Your family could save hundreds of dollars by flying out of airports less than two hours from Charlotte: that’s the word from AAA Carolinas.
“It’s going to get to the point that I can’t afford it anymore. A $400 ticket to go see my 90-year-old father is crazy,” said Tish Mendick, a South Charlotte resident.
AAA Carolinas points to higher air fares, less parking, new routes and longer waits at Charlotte Douglas. The woes are not very passenger friendly, especially when plane ticket prices hit the wallet.
“They’re getting ridiculous!” said Chris Kelleher, a South Charlotte resident.
AAA is recommending travelers, especially those with families, consider other airports.
“Charlotte airport’s current situation definitely creates some angst for travelers, especially for families flying this summer,” said Sarah Henshall, vice-president of travel for AAA Carolinas. “Travelers can sometimes avoid the hassle of new airport routes, finding a parking space and long waits for buses taking them to the terminal and even pay less fare.”
AAA Carolinas points to lower air fares, plenty of parking and fewer hassles at airports like Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport, Columbia Metropolitan and Piedmont-Triad Airport.
For example: if you were to fly from Charlotte to Orlando from June 26 – 28, the cost today would be $442.50, while flying those same dates from Greensboro to Orlando would cost $377: a savings per person of $65.50, or $262 for a family of four.
“When you’ve got one carrier that controls a lot of the flights, they’re going to be able to dictate the price a lot easier,” said Gary Silverstein, owner of MANN Travels.
Silverstein says travelers are paying a premium for more flights and non-stop flights out of Charlotte.
“When you say, ‘I want to go to New York’, and you want to go out of Greensboro, and you only have two options, or three flights, and we have dozens between Newark, LaGuardia and JFK. You just don’t get that out of these secondary airports,” said Silverstein.
Parking at the three airports outside of Charlotte ranges from $4 to $8 in a parking lot and $10 to $12 a day in a garage. Charlotte charges $5 a day for a parking lot and $10 a day for daily deck parking.
