Alright, so I've started fare searching now that my passport has come in the mail. I'm flying out from Atlanta and I'm kind of amazed at how many flights require a layover or multiple stops. One flight would have me go to SEATTLE before dropping me in San Diego (Although I love Seattle, I don't really want a 12 hour flight the day before surgery!). Does anyone have any advice for finding a better way to get to San Diego?

I'd prefer to fly Delta, but only because I have skymiles and I'm an (brand loyal) Atlantan. However, I'm also cool with flying someone else. Or maybe someone's aunt has is a travel agent and can help out?

Another thing that worries me is that the earliest flight from ATL puts me in SAN around 10-11am, and my email from the OCC said I had to arrive no later than 9. Do you think that I need to fly in the night before?

Alright, so I've started fare searching now that my passport has come in the mail. I'm flying out from Atlanta and I'm kind of amazed at how many flights require a layover or multiple stops. One flight would have me go to SEATTLE before dropping me in San Diego (Although I love Seattle, I don't really want a 12 hour flight the day before surgery!). Does anyone have any advice for finding a better way to get to San Diego?

I'd prefer to fly Delta, but only because I have skymiles and I'm an (brand loyal) Atlantan. However, I'm also cool with flying someone else. Or maybe someone's aunt has is a travel agent and can help out?

Another thing that worries me is that the earliest flight from ATL puts me in SAN around 10-11am, and my email from the OCC said I had to arrive no later than 9. Do you think that I need to fly in the night before?

I had a lot of the same concerns. I live in North Florida, so in an attempt to find the cheapest airfare, I looked at both Atlanta and Orlando. There is a major airport here, but all flights in and out of here connect somewhere else. Atlanta is a decent drive, but my best friend lives outside of the city, so it's not really much of an effort to get there. I couldn't really find any decently priced flights without some sort of connection, out of Atlanta. The only airline I didn't research out of Atlanta was Southwest.

Even out of Orlando (it's a much closer drive for me and tickets are looking to be $200-$400 less per person than from the local airport), I was only able to find a single direct flight to San Diego and it was on the way there. I couldn't find a single direct flight back. I did look for the flights that had the shortest layover but were still reasonable for the airport I was connecting through (need at least an hour for Dallas/Ft Worth but Nashville it's fine to have say, 45 minutes). I suspect I will end up going with Southwest. On the way there, from Orlando, I will be connecting in Nashville and on the way home, I'll be connecting in Albuquerque. Any way you slice it, flying from the east coast to the west will be around a 7 hour flight from what I saw, if you fly from Atlanta.

There is no way I've been able to find to arrive in San Diego by 9 or 10 am (my surgeon's cutoff time for same day surgery). So I'll be flying in the day before and arriving around midnight. I'll stay at a hotel near or at the airport overnight, then meet the driver the following morning at the airport.

~Kat

I'm flying out of Greenville and my layover is in atl then straight to San Diego. Seems like you could get a straight flight. I am booking through delta. If that info helps but u don't fly out til end of march or first of April.

I meant I don't fly out til march

Did you try Southwest?

Amanda Rae

I have found Southwest to be the cheapest.

Thanks, Kat!

Yeah, I'm looking at SW, but it's beginning to look like I'm going to be getting there a day early any way I decide to go. C'est la vie!

I guess this is going to be an adventure

I flew Southwest and also got there the night before and my cordinator arranged for me to just stay the night at hospital at no charge. I was first in the OR.. Perfect.

As for lay overs I specifically booked lay over flights so that I had to walk. I wasn't comfortable with sitting for long periods of time on a flight. The extra walking works out well with walking off the gas and getting myself back to normal too.

Southwest is best in prices for sure, plus their attendants are awesome

As for lay overs I specifically booked lay over flights so that I had to walk.

Oh, that's a really good idea! I didn't even consider that.

If you've flown Southwest, have you ever purchased an extra seat as a 'person of size'? I'm not sure I really need a second seat, but I'm thinking for comfort sake, why not? The extra seats are refundable.

If you have the extra cash I'd do it for sure. Not just because of size, but because I'm not a touchy freely person and my seat mate is the last person I want to touch. I had one surgery I was uncomfortable with shoulder gas pain and would have killed not to be with a seat mate.

If you've flown Southwest' date=' have you ever purchased an extra seat as a 'person of size'? I'm not sure I really need a second seat, but I'm thinking for comfort sake, why not? The extra seats are refundable.[/quote']

I flew Southwest. I was 5'6" and almost 300lbs. No extra seat needed no belt extender needed either.

Southwest got some really bad press about the enforcement of that policy, so they are very careful about enforcing it.

Well, I'm 5'7 and 230lbs. I still wear a size 16. The problem is that I have really wide hips, and my husband and I flew Delta to NYC back in January and I had to put the arm rest up because the sides of my hips and upper thighs were pushing into it. I think I might get the extra seat and then even if I don't need it I can luxuriate and nap

Too bad your not going to Cancun for your surgery. They have about 4 non stops a day from Atlanta.

That's where I went, and it my family had a mini vacation while I was sleeved.

Well, I'm 5'7 and 230lbs. I still wear a size 16. The problem is that I have really wide hips, and my husband and I flew Delta to NYC back in January and I had to put the arm rest up because the sides of my hips and upper thighs were pushing into it. I think I might get the extra seat and then even if I don't need it I can luxuriate and nap

We are approximately the same size (I have about 10 lbs on you) and have flown Southwest as well as other airlines with no issues. I mean, I wouldn't say I'm a little person by any stretch of the imagination but leg room is often a far bigger issue than seat room.

Is someone traveling with you? My boyfriend is going with me, so I know I can put the armrest up and be a little more comfortable.

~Kat

Too bad your not going to Cancun for your surgery. They have about 4 non stops a day from Atlanta.

That's where I went, and it my family had a mini vacation while I was sleeved.

I debated Cancun because it's a far easier trip for me, too, but I found information on Cancun doctors really difficult to find a year ago when I first started researching. Now, I'm excited about my surgeon, so I believe it was meant to work out that way. But I really encourage you to share a TON of info here about your surgeon if you liked him!

~Kat