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Flight home leaves LAS at 5:45am. How much will it hurt?

Discussion in 'Getting There & Getting Around' started by jimboguy, Oct 9, 2012.

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  1. jimboguy

    jimboguy MIA

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    Hi everyone,

    I'm heading to Las Vegas over Thanksgiving weekend. I used miles for the flight to Vegas, but the return flight prices were rather high. The only reasonable SW airfare I found for the return trip is for a flight that leaves LAS at 5:45am. So I'm wondering, how much pain does a flight like this cause? :grrr: (maybe not the flight itself, but I typically don't go to bed until around 4am when in Vegas)
    Typically I try to take mid to late afternoon flights home from Vegas, but this 5:45am flight was 1/3 the price of the more desirable departure times.
     
    Last edited: Oct 9, 2012
  2. Travel Fanatic

    Travel Fanatic The Arbiter of Taste Caviar Kid

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    Personally, I prefer it. My flight home is longer. I can sleep on the plane and by the time I land, there are still a few hours left in the day to do stuff
     
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  3. jimboguy

    jimboguy MIA

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    That's probably a good attitude to have. Hopefully I can employ it. My flight is short (about 75 minutes), but having most of Sunday to recover and readjust before heading back to work on Monday might be nice.
     
  4. Turtleman

    Turtleman VIP Whale

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    It sounds like you won't have a room that last night. Is that right? Obviously, the pain will vary with the individual.

    Being a morning person, as opposed to the more glamorous sounding night-owl label, I routinely get up ridiculously early anyway. However, that also means I tend to poop out ridiculously early. As long as I can grab a few hours' sleep before heading to the airport, be it for a dreaded redeye or early morning flight, I'm fine. On those occasions when I didn't have a room before a late night flight, I'm basically a zombie! Making it to 5:45 am without any rest would probably kill me!
     
  5. kel3420

    kel3420 VIP Whale

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    Oh, it sucks, don't let anyone tell you otherwise, lol. Did this once going home to Ohare. Left for the airport around 4:30 thinking the airport would be dead! Wrong. TSA told us it's one of the busiest times to fly! Lines wrapped around everywhere!

    The worst part was the night before, went to a piano bar thinking that would be a quiet thing to do, left there later than we wanted around midnight, went to talk to a host about two rooms we had and get that all taken care of. As we walked back to the room, hubbie and i found a hot craps table, figured why not and started playing. Got back to our room and had about half an hour to rest our eyes. Go to meet our travelling companions in the lobby at 4:30 and we were both still way tipsy. Then to deal with the airport mess. Oh my, never again, lol. Then to top it off, I believe our plane was late. :grrr:

    I am sure it's fine if you get more than half an hour of sleep though. hahaha

    :beer::beer::beer:
     
  6. jimboguy

    jimboguy MIA

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    I will have a room that last night. It sounds like I will have to try to be disciplined and actually use it. :thumbsup:
     
  7. shifter

    shifter Degenerate Gambler

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    i just pay extra for the later flight. i refuse to take a flight before 10am or a red eye.
     
  8. Funkhouser

    Funkhouser In Charge of the Big Door

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    Sitting at las airport waiting to board right now. Trust me it sucks. Only positive you may beat the early crowds.

    Next time I'll spring for the later flight.
     
  9. Tellafriend

    Tellafriend MIA

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    No chance. I'd get a second job to avoid this scenario.
     
  10. blizzard96

    blizzard96 Low-Roller

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    545 is super early so hopefully the lines aren't too bad...I had a 715 once and it was a nightmare. Traveling companion was still drunk and the lines at security were unbelievably long. Had to run to the gate after getting off the tram thing and almost missed the flight. The other time was just as miserable but the flight wound up canceled due to technical problems so had to sit in the airport for 3 hours until the next flight. Now I take red eyes back east. To me they are the best to leave Vegas..An entire day to just sleep in or spend by the pool or to gamble away whatever few bucks are left and then its leisurely trip to airport and the place is almost empty at 11pm vs the morning chaos.
     
  11. runningonthehub

    runningonthehub VIP Whale

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    For the last three years, I have always been on the 6:00am flight leaving Vegas.Shuttle bus picks me up at about 04:00am. The night before, I usually don't get much sleep because I worry about sleeping too late, but that's fine, I sleep on the plane.

    You have a 75 minute flight, so you will landing at about 7am, seems to me you have plenty of time to get home an catch up on your sleep. That's sweet.

    I am a morning person so getting up early does not bother me. I like to leave early so I can beat the crowds. At that time of the day, I have never had to deal with crowds, The early flight works out well for me. Also, the good thing about leaving on the first flight out is that the plane is already at the airport, no chance of it being late.

    If an old guy like me can do it, you can do it too. It is not going to kill you.
     
  12. mike_m235

    mike_m235 Tourist

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    This. Except noon.
     
  13. dmr

    dmr Registered Abuser

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    Back when Allegiant served our area, their only flights out were early in the morning, and we did that a couple of times. You essentially lose a half day of Las Vegas time.

    I definitely prefer an afternoon or early evening flight and yes, it's worth it if the price difference is not that terribly out if line.
     
  14. crussader

    crussader Low-Roller

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    This is the key. You're only talking about staying up a few extra hours past normal. I would give it a shot.
     
  15. Joe

    Joe VIP Whale

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    C'mon Jimbo man up! It's a 75 minute flight, not 3.5 hrs! If it's Sunday morning you'll be home early enough to see the NFL pregame shows. What could be more relaxing than a Sunday of football and then back to work Monday:poke: Just bet on the correct teams.:wink2:
     
  16. bubbamsu

    bubbamsu Low-Roller

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    It will suck if you allow to suck. So don't allow it.

    You have a short flight, all day recouperate, and no time change to deal with. Just make sure you are sober to drive home in the morning. :drunk:

    Being from the East Coast, I have taken a lot of red-eyes/early morning flights with no problems at all.

    My advice is to start the party earlier in the day, so you have time to either get a little sleep or to sober up before leaving for the airport. Since you are a late night person, the time issues should be ok for you.
     
  17. Jimbo338

    Jimbo338 VIP Whale

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    My ideal flight is an afternoon flight which allows me to sleep late, enjoy a leisurely breadfast, pack and check out around noon and take a shuttle, or bus to the airport. My usual flight is 4pm which is SWA's last flight to Manchester NH. At the airport I have plenty of time to get through security,, enjoy lunch and maybe watch a movie.

    My trip this past march was one of those last minutes things I decided on to save my sanity. I had to take terrible times to afford to go. Returning my flight out was at 7, so I planned to be at the airport at 5 which means a short night's sleep to make sure I got packed, checked out, got a cab and got to the airport in time. I didn't know how busy it would be in the am. Cab took forever to pic me up but I was afraid to bus down at that time. I have a 6 hr flight. It was so quiet I thought the airport was closed! I walked through security without a line, and had more trouble finding breakfast since I am not a begal person. For me the trip home regardless of time is a whole day wasted since it is 6 hours plus waiting time, changing planes and the time change (3 hours).That's why I like the afternoon flight, you at least have the morning. Good luck on your early flight; I'll try to stick to the afternoon flights (I cannot sleep on a plane....wish I could!).

    Jimbo338
     
  18. Mitkraft

    Mitkraft VIP Whale

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    This is the way we like to do it to. On our upcomming trip we are taking the last flight home. Since we stay up and sleep later and later each day we are in Vegas this works out best. Since we are night owls we don't mind getting home at midnight or 1am. Plus we are never ready to leave Vegas so we will squeeze as much out of it as we can. It works best if you have late checkout though. On the upcomming trip our flight home day was available as a comp day so I just booked it to figuring we wouldn't leave for the airport till WAY after checkout time.

     
    Last edited: Oct 10, 2012
  19. Wanger1969

    Wanger1969 Iowa Nice

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    Early flights??

    I don't mind the early flights at all. My advice if you are usually up late in Vegas? Don't go to bed. Sleep in a little that day before that your flight leaves and just do an all nighter. You can sleep on the plane (which some can but I cannot) or catch some sleep at home. Its your last night in Vegas, so LIVE IT UP! :beer:
     
  20. eloisegirl

    eloisegirl Low-Roller

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    We left at 11:30 pm LAS time and arrived home at 6:30 am YYZ (Eastern) time - didn't really sleep on the plane (although I was in a semi-coma state... you know, the one where you see "WILD" on the inside of your eyelids from all the slotting around...) and came home and slept til noon. Which is exactly what I do on weekends anyway. The hardest part is the post-Las Vegas Depression for the next week, where you wonder where the CW's are with your drinks.
     
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