I need to travel to New Holland, PA area and flights into Philly seem to be the least costly.

I'd be arriving late afternoon or early evening on a Monday, and fly out either on Wednesday late afternoon or Thursday early to mid morning.

Was wondering if anyone can tell me if I'll be stuck in traffic coming in/going out of Philly International at those times.

Philadelphia airport is a horrible airport! It is the worst airport that I have ever ever been through. It has been that way for years and is only getting worse. Avoid it at all costs. You can expect every imaginable problem from the minute that you arrive. And don't expect to leave on time or with your luggage. A couple of months ago I had a flight that had a two hour layover there that turned into 8 hours after several back-to-back delays, including almost two sitting on the tarmac. We barely arrived home only 30 minutes away without our luggage on the last flight into our regional airport. I will drive three plus hours to Pittsburgh if I can't book a flight through Harrisburg instead of going through Philly ever again. I would strongly suggest that you fly to Harrisburg. That is a very good airport. I have never had any problems there at all and unlike Philly, the airport employees and restaurant staff there are actually quite helpful and friendly. I think Harrisburg is closer to New Holland too but it has been a long time since I have been there.

The few times I flew it was out of BWI; now, when my Dad goes anywhere, it is out of Philly. It's a little further away, but my stepmother lived in northern DE for many years and swears by it. I don't know of any trouble they've had, but personally I'll stick with what I know.

I just looked at a map. New Holland is half way between Philly and Harrisburg. You have another choice that is about the same distance away and that is Allentown / Bethlehem, another decent airport that is much better than Philadelphia. For that matter, Baltimore is not out of range either. All of those airports are about the same drive time as Philly is to get to them from New Holland. I don't know if Lancaster has an airport with commuter service that you could connect with but New Holland is almost a suburb of Lancaster. That would be my first choice if you can make the connections.

By the way, New Holland and Lancaster are beautiful areas. Bring your camera.

This news is just super :no:

My wife and I are flying into Philadelphia on Friday night the 18th (8:00pm) to visit her grandmother's in Reading and flying out on Tuesday morning. We'll need to stay the night in an inexpensive hotel on Monday night near the airport (but hopefully not a roach motel).

Any hints or heads-ups on any construction/detours/hotels/stay-away-froms during our travels to and from Phily > Reading and back?

Thanks,
Mike

Thanks.

I think it'll be Harrisburg for me.

Oh, and yes, will be bringing my camera.

Good choice whoaru99. Anything is better than the Philadelphia airport.

I wish that I could help you Mike but I am not familiar enough with the area, especially current road and construction conditions. Hopefully someone from the area will chime in.

Any airport in the country outperforms Filthy by a long shot. I use that airport as a last resort. I don't go across the river into that city if I don't have to. All the entertainment complexes (sports stadiums, concert venues, etc.) are on the road to and from the airport. If something is happening down there while you're trying to get in or out, good luck. A big plus is the drivers in Filthy have just been accredited by insurance companies as the nation's WORST motorists, averaging 6 or 7 accidents/motoring career, so you got that going for you also. The last mayoral administration installed all its relatives as Airport Parking Authority Director, and such. That was the mayor's brother I think who received that lucrative position. The mayor's wife either had a bunch of the food concessions, or control over them. The places where you pay $19.50 for a tuna sandwich that'll probably kill you inflight. Love that city.

You may also want to watch your motoring "etiquette" while there. There is no shortage of cars there, filled with socially concerned/active, unemployed, young men who are armed to the teeth.

Philadelphia airport is a horrible airport! It is the worst airport that I have ever ever been through. It has been that way for years and is only getting worse. Avoid it at all costs. You can expect every imaginable problem from the minute that you arrive.

Agreed. It's all that and more. Plus you have to figure in the horrible traffic if you leave the airport between 7-9am and 3-8 pm. I-95, 76, and 476 are always a mess. Its just best to stay away.

Now they tell me, I flew BWI- Philly - Detroit and back to AK Fest 07. Going was OK, coming back was a farking nightmare. The regional cancelled our Philly - BWI leg because there were not enough passengers to cover the cost of gas. They put me up at a hotel somewhere in the wilds of NJ so that I got no dinner and had to leave the hotel before they set up breakfast the next day. Last time through that airport.

Mind you they can't pay me to get on a plane anymore and you would have to put me in chains to fly Southworst.

I've never done anything more than connect through there, but the airport itself is indeed an incredible shithole. To be avoided under all but the most extreme circumstances.

Any airport in the country outperforms Filthy by a long shot. I use that airport as a last resort. I don't go across the river into that city if I don't have to. All the entertainment complexes (sports stadiums, concert venues, etc.) are on the road to and from the airport. If something is happening down there while you're trying to get in or out, good luck. A big plus is the drivers in Filthy have just been accredited by insurance companies as the nation's WORST motorists, averaging 6 or 7 accidents/motoring career, so you got that going for you also. The last mayoral administration installed all its relatives as Airport Parking Authority Director, and such. That was the mayor's brother I think who received that lucrative position. The mayor's wife either had a bunch of the food concessions, or control over them. The places where you pay $19.50 for a tuna sandwich that'll probably kill you inflight. Love that city.

You may also want to watch your motoring "etiquette" while there. There is no shortage of cars there, filled with socially concerned/active, unemployed, young men who are armed to the teeth.

Ahh, The City Of Brotherly Love...I remember going there back in the '70s as a teenager, & thinkin' what a Shithole it was then...Don't look like its improved any. I had the quaint notion that since it was the birthplace of America, so to speak, it would be different from the other big Northeast cities...Hardee-Har-Har..

Actually, the city itself - at least downtown and the historic district - have improved substantially. Travel, unfortunately, is pretty much as bad as described. This thread has cheered me up about my need to drive there in a couple of weeks ...

Well I must say the tag slogan "You have a friend" proved accurate in our case. Years ago while driving to Ottawa we missed the turnoff for the Northeast Extension and wound up in downtown Philly. At a stop light we asked the fellow in the next car where we should go. He said follow me as I am heading that way and the NE is two exits after I turn off. Well we followed him and after some distance he pulled over so we pulled up behind him. He said "Here is your exit, I figured it was better to show you." Thanked him kindly and as we had been late starting, then the detour, we spent the night at the Holiday Inn in Allentown. This gentleman did not need to go out of his way, yet he did.