So I am going to Minneapolis for an interview at the end of the week. The interview stuff is all day Friday, and basically I can leave any time on Thursday, and stay till any time on Sunday.

I've never flown before (yeah, i know... ...), but I have a TON of work to do before/after all of this, so I'm trying to figure out the best times to go to not be too rushed, but yeah. A friend suggested planning a flight midday Thursday. I was originally thinking like 6 or 7pm, so I could maybe get some work done. But the interview session starts at 8:30 on Friday... So does a midday flight from Raleigh seem like the best/safe/relaxed bet?

And, I know there is a tour of the city planned for Saturday morning I want to stay for. I don't want to get back to Raleigh too late, but if the tour is scheduled to last until 11am, would a 3pm flight be too rushed? Is it still the whole "get to the airport 2 hrs before your flight" deal?

I'm sooo excited for this, but the idea of basically having all of my Thursday, Friday and Saturday gone is freaking me out.

4/7/2007 2:47:06 PM

there really is nothing to flying. Just make sure you get to the airport super early because you will be leaving at a peak time, not to mention all of the security crap to go through. if it is paperwork, you will have several hours to read/study/use your laptop on the airplane.

Also, if you dont have a ticket yet, you will most likely have difficulty getting one and will end up paying quite a bit. you may end up having to take what you can get.

4/7/2007 2:52:50 PM

the company is paying for travel/hotel/etc. but I need to register with them for all this stuff, and i just found out about the interview yesterday. so I've been trying to figure out the best plan of action.

4/7/2007 2:53:43 PM

thursday is one of the worst days to travel - it's the day business travelers go home

4/7/2007 3:18:37 PM

as long as you aren't flying on the weekends, it's not going to be bad. just fly whenever it makes sense for your schedule. leave an hour to get to the airport and do everything, since you haven't flown before.

4/7/2007 3:38:57 PM

^^would that be another reason to do earlier over later, get my flight before the late afternoon when most people are done at work?

^what is "do everything"?

4/7/2007 3:40:11 PM

check in, check any bags, go through security, walk to the terminal

4/7/2007 3:49:46 PM

aah, okay. i wasn't sure if there was something extra if it was your first time flying.

4/7/2007 3:51:25 PM

I would give myself more than an hour. you never know what will happen...be there 2 hours before your flight takes off to be safe. nervously checking your watch while waiting to go through security is a bad feeling

4/7/2007 3:56:38 PM

so, another noob question - why is flying on weekends so bad? i'm gonna fly back saturday, i'm thinking late afternoon/evening...

but then again, i have no experience with this flying thing, so idk what i'm doing. wanted to get a few more opinions before i finalize the info for their travel registration.

4/7/2007 4:01:10 PM

How in the world can people not fly for 20+ years

4/7/2007 5:28:49 PM

my family doesn't do crap. vacations = wilmington/myrtle beach/the mountains every few years.

and once i got to college, money played an issue.

my younger brother has never flown, as well. my older bro went to europe b/c his senior class in hs did, and he's been to san diego w/his cousin and non-english-speaking grandmother in 7th grade.

4/7/2007 5:35:47 PM

i've been flying quite a bit recently, and i find that saturdays are OK travel days; i have more problems on fridays and sunday evenings than anything else. if i were you, i'd fly up either midday or mid-afternoon, if your schedule permits; people at the airport always tell me the later you fly, the more likely you are to be delayed. i found that to be true in the winter. the last 3 times i've flown, my flight has been delayed AT LEAST 3 hours, and they were evening flights.

if the tour is done at 11 and you'll be back to your hotel soon (& the hotel is close to the airport), 3PM flight sounds feasible. have your stuff packed ahead of time so all you have to do is grab it & go. also, check the forecast for that area... i don't know if they still get snow or whatever now, so if any bad weather is expected, take that into account when planning which days.

just out of curiosity, what airline are you using?

4/7/2007 6:25:54 PM

I decided, on my registration, to pick 4pm for my preferred departure time. i don't know what airline it will be, i should get my confirmation info about the flights within 2-3 days.

the guy that called me friday/interviewed me said they had gotten a cold front as well (similar to nc, it was 80s on monday, and was already down to the 30s friday). This is what weather.com is saying in the 10 day forecast for Minneapolis:

Thu Apr 12 Mostly Sunny 43°/27° 10% chance of precip
Fri Apr 13 Rain / Snow Showers 38°/34° 30%
Sat Apr 14 Showers 44°/35° 40%

eek...

4/7/2007 6:30:53 PM

I have a metric fuckton of choice rewards points and it says on the website that 5000 points = 1000 airmiles if you change them over

anyone actually tried to change them over, are there any issues?

4/7/2007 6:38:20 PM

4 is a good departure time.. forecast doesn't sound so bad. good luck flying

4/7/2007 7:39:55 PM

thanks! i appreciate it.

4/7/2007 8:53:32 PM

downtown minneapolis is awesome, youll enjoy it. are you interviewing with a medical device company?? youll probably hit traffic once you get in, that is if youre flying arnd 4pm and getting in arnd 6pm.

4/7/2007 11:04:06 PM

Put all gels and liquids under 3.4 ounces in ziplock bags....Nothing over 3.4 ounces can be carried on. You must check luggage with these items. This includes Tide spot out pens, gel deoderent, lotion and the like.

I flew last summer but this was something that I didn't know about when I flew to Boston on Friday.

4/8/2007 12:31:03 AM

the airport in minny is far away from everything so take that into account

and they will schedule your flight for you in most cases

who are you interviewing for?

4/8/2007 1:05:01 AM

i didnt want to make the thread bragging "ooooh, look who i'm interviewing with!!!!1" but it's the final interview session for a product development/design summer internship with Target. i'm very excited!

4/8/2007 1:11:06 AM

no offense, but syaing you have an interview w/ target isnt exactly bragging

but good luck

and yea, you will prob have a 30-45 minute cab ride to/from the airport

i interviewed w/ 3m and i think there offices and target's are near each other

4/8/2007 1:19:49 AM

well, the internship is one of the best ones out there, esp for us tam majors.

paid travel, housing, internship is paid, etc.

4/8/2007 1:22:26 AM

Quote :

"no offense, but syaing you have an interview w/ target isnt exactly bragging "

For both her major and mine, it is definitely bragging.

4/8/2007 1:14:34 PM

^

4/8/2007 2:34:03 PM

^^^^haha you must be crazy but trust me having a PAID internship in our major is HIGHLY unlikely. Then having your housing paid etc...thats like 1 in about thousands of internships.

4/8/2007 4:24:54 PM

i'm anxious to get my itinerary info...but they said it would be 2-3 days after i register. and since i registered on saturday, i'm thinking 2-3 business days would be wednesday... since i leave on thursday. but maybe it'll be sooner.

4/9/2007 6:39:59 AM

My first time flying was when I turned 24. I got to go to California for vacation after I graduated from State. It was pretty neat. I couldn't stop looking out the window.

4/9/2007 9:59:09 AM

so i got my itinerary.... stop in detroit on the way there, and have to change planes. i'm sorta...nervous... i first thought it said there's a terminal change, but it's just different flight numbers.

middle seat for 1 leg on the way there, window seat for the other leg and the full flight back...this'll be interesting.

um yeah...i guess that's all...

4/9/2007 5:57:05 PM

probably flying NWA then - their terminal in detroit is pretty nice - but definitely make sure you check which gate you are going to because it's also one of the longest linear terminals and if it's more than 30-40 gates it's probably easier to take the train

4/9/2007 6:17:24 PM

you can check in online and change your seat assignments.

4/9/2007 9:36:06 PM

you can definitely change seats once you get on the plane if its not a packed flight. Also, sometimes you may not know what gate your flight lands because sometimes it changes in the air. However most flights that are in the US typically are in the same terminal. How long is your layover in detroit?

4/9/2007 10:41:02 PM

so for the flight up, it looks like i'm seated next to seats that still have the option to be bought, so maybe i won't have someone right next to me.

for the flight back, there is a whole row open. since i'm a fatty and i'll have had a window seat for some of the time, does anyone recommend/prefer aisle seats? i could change to one of those in the empty row.

i'm still in the process of figuring out which gates i'll be at. where can you normally see that info? i only have from 2:28-3:05 between flights. and yes it's with northwest.

Stupid Question - I don't have a ticket. Do I need to print something off, from the NWA website?

Another dumb question, especially if the gates don't get posted...Are the stewardesses usually pretty friendly? My mama suggested I ask the steward before I leave the first leg of the flight if they can basically 'help' me find the next flight by calling one of the airport escort people.... I know, it's a motherly thing to suggest, but would they do that, the steward?

Also, is it smart to pack EVERYTHING in one suitcase, esp since I'm switching planes? I know the more I carry on, the more I'm likely to lose or forget something...but I'm just worried about losing luggage, esp if I put my portfolio in there, etc.

Yeah, I'm a nervous n00b.

4/10/2007 12:52:51 AM

They usually don't assign the gate until the flight is almost in. When you get off the plane, there should either be a person standing there to tell you where your next flight is or a board where you can read the gate number for your next flight.

I assume if you don't have a ticket yet, you have an e ticket. If you paid for the ticket, you usually have to present the credit card you used to buy it. Some airlines may do this differently though, and I usually fly nonrev anyway, so I'm not too used to buying tickets.

4/10/2007 1:01:04 AM

well i'm not paying for the ticket, target is....so.........

4/10/2007 1:05:09 AM

emily when you get to the airport to check in. You don't need to show them the credit card that was used to buy it. You can use anything that has your name on it (I used my debit card). When you check in, it'll print both tickets (raleigh to detroit, detroit to minneapolis). Since you will be staying for two nights, it might be easier to check in your luggage so you dont have to lug it around everywhere and you don't have to worry about liquids. It rarely gets lost, but what I would do is have a carry on bag thats large (like your black bag) and put your portfolio in there.

When you get your ticket after checking in, you'll see what gate detroit is. When you are in the air in the first plane they will tell you which gate they are coming in from.

4/10/2007 9:11:10 AM

i think the flight attendant would be pissed that a college-aged person would ask them to call to find out where their next flight is leaving from. my sister is a flight attendant and she would think something like that is totally ridiculous coming from someone that isn't elderly or retarded.

[Edited on April 10, 2007 at 9:22 AM. Reason : a]

4/10/2007 9:20:14 AM

When you get off the plane in Detriot there will be an attendant waiting to tell you where your next gate is. They are always super helpful, no need to call ahead or make any big fuss.

Carry On your portfolio. NEVER check anything you NEED on a trip. Portfolio, your interview clothes and whatever else you will have to have. You can check the toothpaste, et al, because your hotel will have those for you if they get lost in transit.

4/10/2007 11:22:58 AM

^^yeah, that's why i take what my mom says w/a grain of salt. i'm sure some of them are friendly, but i don't wanna be the flight hassle. even though i feel like i already am one.

i'm just worried about how much crap to carry on w/me, but i guess if i took my black bag and my portfolio, i can put a few items of clothing in the bag.

4/10/2007 4:35:23 PM

check the in flight magazine, usually back pages, it will have the layout of DTW and MSP, you can find out where the terminal for your next leg will be. your next gate will be within the A concourse in DTW, maybe 10 gates down or up.

4/10/2007 5:43:27 PM

I fly a lot and Raleigh is a suck ass airport overall. It's always hit and miss on long lines when you fly out of there. I'd make sure to arrive two hours before your flight out of Raleigh.

Plus if you are flying to Minneapolis out of Raleigh, you might be/probably are on Northwest, which has the worst gate location of any airline ever. You have to walk like a damn mile just to get to those 6-8 gates at the end of Terminal A for Continental/Northwest flights. Just something else to consider.

In Minneapolis, the airport is very nice (assuming you are flying Northwest), but very big. I'd make sure to give yourself atleast two hours again in Minneapolis just because the airport is large and usually everything takes longer at bigger airports (i.e. rental car returns, rental car shuttles, check in, and security).



[Edited on April 10, 2007 at 6:06 PM. Reason : I didn't read the full thread so I apologize if any of this is a repeat.]

4/10/2007 6:05:02 PM

^^ and ^ thank you both for some good info.

4/10/2007 6:56:10 PM

didn't read the whole thread, but thought this might be helpfull to first time fliers. a detailed guide getting around in the airport:

Note: food in the airport can be quite expensive. if you're on per diem, its not a big deal. if you're paying for it yourself, it can add up. so either eat before or plan or spending a little extra on food.

Regarding delays/canceled flights: don't get all pissy about you're flights being delayed. nothing annoys me more than someone getting angry at the gate attendants about delayed flights. yes, we know its ridiculous that the plane isn't here yet. yes, we know you're probably going to miss your next flight/important meeting. guess what, we are too. think of it this way, would you rather take off in a plane that may not might fall apart in the sky or wait until they can repair the cracked winshield? would you rather takes your chances on the grassy field the end of the runway slowing you down or wait for them to fix the brakes so you can stop when you land? would you rather chance it in weather that may or may not allow the plane to land, or wait until it clears up? if you've never landed during a strong crosswind on a snowy runway, trust me, you'd rather wait.

departure:
step 1: Check in
look for your airline and check in at that counter. checking in is easy, yuo have two options: (a) just slide ANY credit card with your name on it into the little kiosk check in dealy, select your seats, number of bags you're checking, and hit print. it will spit out your boarding pass. (you aren't charged or anything, it just looks up any reserverations for the name on the card. it doesn't have to be the card the reservations were made with). wait for them to call your name to check your bags. you'll get a baggage claim ticket when they call your name. (b) wait for the next attendent at the counter, show them your id and give them your destination. you can also change seats here. they'll print your boarding pass and baggage claim ticket, and you're on your way.
hang on to your claim ticket, it will make it easier to locate your luggage should it not arrive.

step 2: security
follow the signs to the security checkpoint. larger airports tend to be more streamlined than the smaller airports. depending on the airport you may or may not have to take off your shoes and/or jacket. i do it any way just to avoid them hasseling me. there will be trays to put your stuff in to go through the x-ray machines. if you have a laptop, remove it from its case and put it in its on tray. put any loose change, watch, cell phone, etc into the bucket. don't get all pissy if you get the pat down or blower screening, its really not a big deal, and will only take like 2 extra minutes. you must dispose of all liquids, including water or soda before going through security. if you are carrying on toothpast and stuff it has to be 3oz or smaller packages and everything must fit in a quart size ziplock bag. if you don't have a ziplock bag, the airport may or may not supply you with one. personally, i just always check this stuff so i don't have to worry about it.

step 3. find your gate
your boarding pass will have your terminal/gate information. go find your gate (rdu is pretty small so this shouldn't be too hard) and make sure that its still the right gate. larger airports like dallas and atlanta sometimes shuffle gate assignments right up to the last minute. if you're not sure, just ask the person at the gate counter and they'll point you in the right direction. you can also find out the on-time status of your flight at the gate, or check the monitors scattered through out the airport.

step 4. get on the plane. the gate attendant will anounce when they are ready to board. boarding is done by zones, beginning with first class. ideally they fill the plane up back to front, but it almost never happens that way. its really not a big deal.

layover/change planes
step 1. find your next gate. either ask the gate attendent when you get off the plane or check the monitor. sometimes the flight attendants will anounce your connecting gate.

step 2. go find your gate, and refer to step 3 above.

note: no need to worry about going to get your checked bags, just go get on your next flight.


arrival
step 1. get your checked bags. depending on the airport, there will be a sign over the carasel (sp?) with either the flights or airline for that carasel. if you don't see your bags, check the other carasels, sometimes they get mixed up. especially in atlanta. if it turns out your bags really are lost, just go the baggage office and tell them. usually your bags will show up on the next flight. tell the person in the baggage office where you are staying and they'll have your bags sent there for you.

step 2. leave the airport.

[Edited on April 10, 2007 at 8:04 PM. Reason : . ]

4/10/2007 7:44:14 PM

^thank you for all the info,

4/10/2007 9:53:18 PM

How many days are you going to be there?? (Too lazy to read the whole thread...)

If you can fit all your stuff into a small piece of luggage, don't even check a bag. Just take it through security with you and stow it above your seats. It would be a pain to get to your interview day and they have lost all your luggage. Carry on is amazing.

4/10/2007 10:28:40 PM

flying out from rdu at noon, thursday, getting back to rdu at 10pm saturday.

so at the least, i'll need my suit for friday, something else for friday night, and one outfit for saturday.

but 1. i'm a fattie, so clothes are bigger. 2. i need to bring heavy clothing, since its going to be cold.

so i'm gonna try my small suitcase and a backpack and see if it'll all work. but if not, and i have to check luggage, so be it.

4/10/2007 10:55:00 PM

so i checked the gate info on northwest's website, and it says i'll be going from gate a76 to a64 in my 30 min layover in detroit. so that's not so stressful.

4/11/2007 7:48:59 PM

just get on the plane you pussy.

4/12/2007 4:36:29 AM

^

it wasn't bad, and i'm on a pay computer atm, so no major details. but my luggage had a small hiccup, but i got it.

my major stress is my stupidity w/getting my portfolio done. but that's a stupid/long story.

the radisson plaza is niiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiice.

4/12/2007 11:36:03 PM