Great topic! My home airport is SEA and I have a P2 and 2 kids. I often make connecting flights to either SFO or LAX because I'm able to find more award availability on the products I want to treat my family to. We'll often spend an extra day in CA first and maybe go to disneyland or something. But if we do a layover, I will always give it at least 5 hrs in case of a delay. I can usually get flights for like $100 each. Considering we have TSA precheck, Clear, and plenty of lounge access, its overall a very enjoyable experience. My P2 and I are happy to read in the lounge while the kids eat their weight in lounge food and watch something on their tablets.
It isn't easy doing award travel as a family of 4. I'm glad to hear that you have found a method to make it work and all involved (mainly player 2 😆) are happy to reposition for the premium seats.
One big reason I love living in Northern Virginia is having three major airports plus a fourth airport (Regional) opening in 2026. Plenty of flights options from my home airports. I have IAD, DCA, and BWI. Plus I have access to ALL the lounges at these three airports. The regional airport that will open in 2026 for commercial flights is Manassas Airport. Cheers 🥂
@@wanderingdoc5075 Well, yes, BWI is my farthest airport at an 80 minutes drive. It is definitely my least frequent airport I use. But it is still an option I have available if it makes sense to go out of BWI.
@@wanderingdoc5075 Wow!! You moved to the Philippines!!! Yeap, huge difference in cost of living. I’ll most probably stay here in Northern VA when I retire in 6 years.
@@Leoprieto74 I miss the climate there. Just not a place I think I'd raise my kids. Good luck! Having a hub in Asia makes travel to places like Japan Korea Vietnam Thailand etc. super easy. Just $200 round trip flights
I'm with you on this JP! I am not willing to spend extra time and money to get to an airport so that I can take a nice first/business class flight. I'm sure there may be scenarios where repositioning may make sense, but it is not for me.
@JohnnyCashBack5X I understand. Don't get me wrong, it does feel good to get the better seat and service, but how much time and effort is worth getting it as opposed to exploring the destination.
So are you not willing to do this on ANY flight length? Say a 12hr flight in J or F that required a repositioning flight or a 10 hr flight in coach with no repositioning?
FLO is my closest "airport", with CLT being about 2 hours away. I also have family near IAD (free parking!) FLO only flies to and from CLT. It's about $300, but AA awards are the same price whether I'm leaving from FLO or CLT, so it's a good option for that. If I'm flying a different airline, paying cash, or booking through a program that prices per segment, I'll drive to CLT. I'll drive to IAD for United or European flights. I'm sure I'll need a positioning flight eventually, but I haven't needed a flight that I couldn't book from one of those airports yet.
I do not live in a major airport hub so I almost always have to connect anyway when flying. If I lived in a major airport hub I might reconsider a repositioning flight but as it is now, especially with a family I just see repositioning as a cost of doing travel.
@@jpknowledge8852 Sometimes I need to connections to get to where I am going anyway so yes it makes sense for repositioning flights for me basically every time. I will definitely be doing a repositioning flight for my children's first trip to Asia in 2026 even though I have not nailed down anything but the destination so far. If needing to do an overnight stop I just make sure to get someplace with a pool so the kids can have fun on the overnight stop.
Hey JP! I had a similar experience. Wanted to check out the JFK Sapphire Lounge. Saw the line at security and turned around 😂. Was flying JetBlue as well so Terminal 5 it is. Also, I do prefer non-stop even if it costs a premium. I've seen too many trips get blown up because of delays and/or missing connecting flights. Just get me to my destination.
@ddennis510 After this year of traveling, I'm now way more leaning towards direct flights even in a lesser class. I enjoy time exploring the destination more than the travel experience.
I live in LA but want to fly the delicious A350-1000 from Dallas to Haneda on JaL. Seems ludicrous even to me since JAL flies out of lax but i might still do it.
@jsbatra haha! I've been looking at that same exact flight. I want to try the new A350-1000 but I don't want to back track to Dallas to do it 🙃. I've been looking at lining it up with a trip to Boston. That way, it can make more sense already being on the eastcoast.
Currently, a traveler novice but trying start the habit....i know this may seem like a stupid question, wondering about repositioning flights and baggage/security. do you typically have to grab ypur checked bag and go back thru security after the first flight?
Unless you marry the segments together, you would have to go and grab your checked luggage and go through the whole security process again 🙃. I'm always flying with just carry-on luggage, so i forget that this could be an additional hurtle for some people.
Great topic! My home airport is SEA and I have a P2 and 2 kids. I often make connecting flights to either SFO or LAX because I'm able to find more award availability on the products I want to treat my family to. We'll often spend an extra day in CA first and maybe go to disneyland or something. But if we do a layover, I will always give it at least 5 hrs in case of a delay. I can usually get flights for like $100 each. Considering we have TSA precheck, Clear, and plenty of lounge access, its overall a very enjoyable experience. My P2 and I are happy to read in the lounge while the kids eat their weight in lounge food and watch something on their tablets.
It isn't easy doing award travel as a family of 4. I'm glad to hear that you have found a method to make it work and all involved (mainly player 2 😆) are happy to reposition for the premium seats.
One big reason I love living in Northern Virginia is having three major airports plus a fourth airport (Regional) opening in 2026. Plenty of flights options from my home airports. I have IAD, DCA, and BWI. Plus I have access to ALL the lounges at these three airports. The regional airport that will open in 2026 for commercial flights is Manassas Airport. Cheers 🥂
BWI is FAR from Northern VA. I lived in Bethesda MD which is closer to BWI and I don't consider this a viable nearby airport.
@@wanderingdoc5075 Well, yes, BWI is my farthest airport at an 80 minutes drive. It is definitely my least frequent airport I use. But it is still an option I have available if it makes sense to go out of BWI.
@@Leoprieto74 Fair. Happy to go from $3200 rent for a 1BR in Bethesda to $470 in Cebu Philippines haha
@@wanderingdoc5075 Wow!! You moved to the Philippines!!! Yeap, huge difference in cost of living. I’ll most probably stay here in Northern VA when I retire in 6 years.
@@Leoprieto74 I miss the climate there. Just not a place I think I'd raise my kids. Good luck! Having a hub in Asia makes travel to places like Japan Korea Vietnam Thailand etc. super easy. Just $200 round trip flights
I'm with you on this JP! I am not willing to spend extra time and money to get to an airport so that I can take a nice first/business class flight. I'm sure there may be scenarios where repositioning may make sense, but it is not for me.
@JohnnyCashBack5X I understand. Don't get me wrong, it does feel good to get the better seat and service, but how much time and effort is worth getting it as opposed to exploring the destination.
So are you not willing to do this on ANY flight length? Say a 12hr flight in J or F that required a repositioning flight or a 10 hr flight in coach with no repositioning?
FLO is my closest "airport", with CLT being about 2 hours away. I also have family near IAD (free parking!)
FLO only flies to and from CLT. It's about $300, but AA awards are the same price whether I'm leaving from FLO or CLT, so it's a good option for that.
If I'm flying a different airline, paying cash, or booking through a program that prices per segment, I'll drive to CLT. I'll drive to IAD for United or European flights.
I'm sure I'll need a positioning flight eventually, but I haven't needed a flight that I couldn't book from one of those airports yet.
It is great to have options. We are fortunate not to be forced to do a repositioning flights.
I just want to add this reposition is a good use case for any Delta Stays credit if you have their credit cards.
That is a good way to use that credit, especially for airport hotels.
You could've used the United Polaris lounge in SFO if you were arriving off of an ANA first class flight I believe
@@milestoluxury United only allows Polaris flyers to access the loung upon arrival. Not partners
I do not live in a major airport hub so I almost always have to connect anyway when flying. If I lived in a major airport hub I might reconsider a repositioning flight but as it is now, especially with a family I just see repositioning as a cost of doing travel.
For people like yourself, it is just what you have to do. But say, you had to add on one more stop for business class, would it be worth it for you?
@@jpknowledge8852 Sometimes I need to connections to get to where I am going anyway so yes it makes sense for repositioning flights for me basically every time. I will definitely be doing a repositioning flight for my children's first trip to Asia in 2026 even though I have not nailed down anything but the destination so far. If needing to do an overnight stop I just make sure to get someplace with a pool so the kids can have fun on the overnight stop.
Hey JP! I had a similar experience. Wanted to check out the JFK Sapphire Lounge. Saw the line at security and turned around 😂. Was flying JetBlue as well so Terminal 5 it is.
Also, I do prefer non-stop even if it costs a premium. I've seen too many trips get blown up because of delays and/or missing connecting flights. Just get me to my destination.
@ddennis510 After this year of traveling, I'm now way more leaning towards direct flights even in a lesser class. I enjoy time exploring the destination more than the travel experience.
i live over 4 hours away from the nearest hub airport, but only 30 minutes from the nearest small airport so positioning flights critical for me
So repositioning for you is pretty much a necessity for your trip
I live in LA but want to fly the delicious A350-1000 from Dallas to Haneda on JaL. Seems ludicrous even to me since JAL flies out of lax but i might still do it.
@jsbatra haha! I've been looking at that same exact flight. I want to try the new A350-1000 but I don't want to back track to Dallas to do it 🙃. I've been looking at lining it up with a trip to Boston. That way, it can make more sense already being on the eastcoast.
@@jpknowledge8852 thats right jfk flights are also 350-1000
As a solo or couple, would you reposition on both ends, departure and arrival, because you’re going from non-hub to non-hub?
I have before, but I'm trying to avoid it because of how much time it adds to the trip.
Currently, a traveler novice but trying start the habit....i know this may seem like a stupid question, wondering about repositioning flights and baggage/security. do you typically have to grab ypur checked bag and go back thru security after the first flight?
Unless you marry the segments together, you would have to go and grab your checked luggage and go through the whole security process again 🙃. I'm always flying with just carry-on luggage, so i forget that this could be an additional hurtle for some people.
👍🏼👍🏼
@@Xavier_ID. i appreciate you 🙏🏾