Tucson International Airport, A Gem of an Airport!
Tucson is a warm weather destination for thousands of people who want to exchange snow, sleet, ice, and freezing weather for warmer temperatures, sunshine, and the exercise of a round of golf rather than shoveling snow.
With an efficient international airport, Tucson is easy to reach. Many airlines have direct flights from their hubs, and the airport is within 20 minutes of Tucson proper. There are also daily flights to points in Mexico.
The Tucson International Airport website (listed below) features daily deals for airlines, a terminal map, information about ground parking, transportation options, a list of arrivals and a list of departures with their “on time” status, as well as information about the artwork which greets visitors as they wander through the airport.
Tucson International is an easy airport to navigate and when walking out the main doors, the warmth of Tucson greets visitors framed by the majestic mountains which surround the city.
It’s easy to get to either I-10 which goes to the center of town, or to I-19 which one takes to get to Sahuarita and Green Valley.
There are plenty of rental car places, both on site at the airport, or off site. Like most airports, those off site may charge a bit less. But if you want the best deal, rent a car from a place in the city so you don’t have to pay the airport surcharge which most cities charge…and use the coupon which you get either on line or from The Entertainment Book!
People often think flying into Phoenix is cheaper, but I’ve tried that when flying to the east coast. I took the shuttle to Phoenix which is now $37 one way if booked a day in advance with a 25% discount for the second or third passenger, but still that adds $74 to the price of a ticket for one person round trip. The ride was more than two hours, as opposed to 20 minutes to the Tucson Airport, and I groggily boarded the shuttle at 4:30 am for a 8:30 am flight.
Checking prices this morning for Southwest; from Phoenix to Chicago is $109 on a “Wanna Get Away” airfare, and only $10 more from Tucson, at $119. The “Anytime” flight is $403 from Phoenix and $437 from Tucson; and the “Business Select” is $423 from Phoenix, one way, and $457 from Tucson, still less than a one way shuttle price.
Sky Harbor Airport parking is $7.00 a day if you leave your car there. Tucson International parking is $4.00 a day if one parks at Park’N Go, and the shuttle buses come every five to seven minutes. Drivers are polite and always willing to help with luggage.
It is a given there are more direct flights from point to point at Phoenix’s Sky Harbor, but it is worth considering that flying into Tucson may be worth a half hour layover in Denver or Dallas.
If it is a two hour drive to Sky Harbor one way and you don’t want to bog down in Phoenix traffic, then think about flying into Tucson International. You’ll begin your vacation much more relaxed!
Resources:
Tucson International Airport
http://www.flytucsonairport.com/
Tags: My Point of View, Things to do and see in Tucson, Tucson Relocation