My kids and I need to go to Grand Junction to see my sick grandfather, and I don't think my son can handle the car trip. To fly from DIA would be expensive, and I wondered if flying from a smaller airport would be any better, and I don't know how to go about that if it were. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
You might check going from CO Springs. You can also see what airlines go to Grand Junction and then see where they fly for options. Going from CO Springs would most likely mean a layover in Denver. Cheyenne is my only other thought right off.
Hi A.,
If you break down the time of standing in the security lines, driving to the airport, boarding the plane etc. you may not have much of a time difference. I was going to suggest Colorado Springs but that will take a good hour and a half from denver. My suggestion, buy one of those inexpensive DVD players for your son, also leave early in the morning, he may even sleep in the car! Stop for potty breaks, let him eat what ever he wants! We normally don't eat thing's like pop tart's but we let the kids pick some out for road trip's and it is a good treat. If your daughter goes with you maybe she can help too! Good luck!
That is where my family live as well. I have made the trip with my 3 year old many times now. I just pack her up a little back pack with some special toys in it. Also pack up some snacks. I make some cds of some of her favorite music too. She loves the trips and none have been bad so far. I just make it out to be a fun adventure and make the whole thing exciting for her.
Denver and Colorado Springs are the only cities with commercial airports on the Eastern Slope. If you keep checking and have a flexible time frame you can probably find a reasonable price. Keep in mind though, you still have the drive to the airport (probably 30 min. or so from Arvada), you need to be at the airport 90 minutes ahead of your flight, and you have the hassle of getting yourself and your kids through security. You can probably drive to Grand Junction in about 4 hours and the good news is that the price of gas is going down! What about a portable DVD player and some DVDs your son likes in the car? (I've seen some great prices recently.) I've found that to be a lifesaver in the car. I'm a mother of 3 and a grandmother of 8 and a retired United Airlines employee.
Smaller planes are typically owned by private companies and I would think would be a lot pricier.
I am not sure why your son wouldn't make the trip?
Go rent or buy a inexpensive DVD player. He is three right?
All you would have to do is stop on the way a few times so he can stretch his legs but I would think most 3 year olds should do just fine on a 5 or 6 hour trip.
That drive is a pretty one so it isn't like there isn't a lot of pretty things to see on the way. By the time you did what you needed to getting to an airport early, waiting for security, going through all the motions you will have wasted 5 hours doing all that I would think.
I would rethink driving him and your family. The cost of gas is at an all time low.
