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Loreto

desertcpl - 4-12-2009 at 12:30 PM

got another question,, guess my daughter is now planning on flying into loreto the first part of may,, they will be flying from Seattle,wa,, what airlines service Loreto,, we know that Alaska airlines,, is there anothers,,

any thoughts on Hotels,, moderately priced Hotels to stay in Loreto

bajabeachbabe - 4-12-2009 at 02:17 PM

From Seattle the only reasonable choice is Alaska Air to Loreto through LA. Our favorite place to stay in Loreto is Las Cabanas, but there are several other good choices. Have her check out Trip Advisor to see the ratings on all the hotels. If she is not planning on having a car, it is best to pick a hotel located in town rather than at Loreto Bay.

Howard - 4-12-2009 at 02:18 PM

The only airline that services Loreto from the west coast is Alaska Air Lines. At one time the flight from Seattle was the same flight on to Loreto. I do not know if it that way now.

desertcpl - 4-12-2009 at 02:31 PM

thanks for the input,, they do plan on renting a car,, they want to drive to Mulege

Pompano - 4-12-2009 at 03:00 PM

For some reason, all flights into Loreto by Alaska Air are super expensive. I would rather fly any other carrier to La Paz or even San Jose del Cabo.

I just bought a ticket to San Jose del Cabo based on cheapest same-day flights - (one-way only)

Here's my best flights research:

My departure airport to La Paz = $397
My departure airport to San Jose = $290

My departure airport to LORETO = $1,284 !!

I'll be driving from Loreto to San Jose and saving a thousand bucks. Might even buy some bling with the savings..

round trip prices:
My departure airport to La Paz =$847
My departure airport to San Jose =$764
My departure airport to LORETO = $2,643

That's an $1,879 increase to fly round -trip to Loreto rather than San Jose

Another way, fly to San Diego, take a cab to the train station, take the direct shuttle bus to the TJ airport, and fly Volaris to Cabo...or possibly La Paz.

[Edited on 4-12-2009 by Pompano]

desertcpl - 4-12-2009 at 03:03 PM

thats one big jump in air fares,, wow

Bajahowodd - 4-12-2009 at 03:42 PM

Just got an e-mail from Travelocity. Roundtrip LAX to SJD is $249, taxes included. It's all about demand. I would so love to be able to fly to Loreto for a long weekend a few times a year, but the air fare is absurd. The good news is that because Loreto has not become another Cabo/Cancun as hoped for by Fonatur, folks who live there can still enjoy paradise.

bill erhardt - 4-12-2009 at 07:56 PM

Alaska Air has various fares on flights to Loreto depending on timing of purchase and the day of the week you travel. I have tickets for my daughter from Tampa, Fl. - LAX - Loreto for two weeks in early May with the Florida/LAX leg on Delta and LAX/Loreto on Alaska. Round trip total is $895. If you want to fly to Loreto from the US west coast, start checking early with AA and check often, and try, if you can, to adjust the dates of arrival and departure for the cheapest fares. If you are not flexible and do not plan early you may be stuck with ridiculous rates like Pomp was quoted.

Bajahowodd - 4-12-2009 at 10:48 PM

Problem is that Alaska is basically the only game in town. Although, I understand that Aeromexico is going to soon start flying from San Diego. Multiple airlines with multiple fights to and from Cabo. tends to keep the prices lower. Not the most convenient situation, but I've made the drive from Cabo to Loreto in less than six hours.

bill erhardt - 4-13-2009 at 05:24 AM

Odd......I, too, have made the Loreto/Los Cabos round trip in a single day to pick up guests flying in, but factor in the time spent at the airport and it makes for a long day. Two such days bracketing a vacation of a week or two stretch the limits of my hospitality. It is a lot easier to wait at my palapa until I hear the plane fly over and then make the five minute drive to the Loreto airport, and the convenience justifies paying a couple of more dollars for airfare, even if it's my own money. The $895 for round trip tickets from Florida is the most I have ever paid, and if you shop in advance for round trip tickets on the west coast from airports Alaska serves, tickets can still be found for about half that unless you wait until the last minute and/or are traveling on dates that all seats are booked.

Pompano - 4-13-2009 at 08:10 AM

Good information from all for anyone considering Loreto v.s. other arrival airports.

The problem with flying to Loreto happens when your dates are not flexible. And even with a 3-month advance the rates are still exorbitant. In my current case the date of arrival was not changeable.

I bought a 1-WAY ticket from north central Canada to Cabo for $1000 less then flying to Loreto. Loreto to Cabo is an easy 6 hour drive at the most, plus this is a one-way flight, hence only the one return trip to Coyote Bay. I'm way ahead taking the Cabo choice. Another plus...I can buy a damn nice reel with the savings..or take a charter out of Cabo the day before the plane arrives!

Really to bad, because I would much rather have my family and guests flying to Loreto. I have been flying in and out of Loreto since they built the airport. Flown all the airlines over the years..have seen many airlines come and go....Resort Air, Gunnel, Air Cortez, Aeromexico, Aerocalifornia, Alaska, Mexicana, United, and so on. One after another, they all went out of business or cancelled service to Loreto.

I remember some of my Far North family flying in on Resort Airlines, stayed 2 weeks, then found out Resort Airlines just quit..and they were stuck. Hey, it's Baja and that fix was easy..I found a twin at the Serinadad to fly them to Pheonix Intl.

Even though it's obvious that those who do not learn from the past are doomed to repeat it, it is worrisome that some seem unable even to learn from the present.

[Edited on 4-13-2009 by Pompano]

desertcpl - 4-13-2009 at 09:06 AM

thanks again for your help,, I will pass this along to her

Phil S - 4-13-2009 at 09:49 AM

I'm wondering if somehow Loreto Bay had anything to these "high rates"??
Many airlines were "romanced" with the LB pr people about all the thousands of people who will be coming to Loreto. so some took a flier and 'came' to Loreto. Buuuttttttt. We all know the results of that fiasco!!! So any chance the airlines are trying to make up for the losses they took???? I can't even begin to understand airline rates????????? this is highway robbery!!!!! Mexican bandits have nothing compared to the airlines!!!!!!

Bajahowodd - 4-13-2009 at 10:15 AM

I'm sure some of the long time locals have great in sight into what happened and why. Fonatur got the ball rolling way back when putting in infrastructure and touting the area as the next big thing. It just never happened. The Loreto Bay project, in and of itself, whether immensely successful, or a bust, was never big enough to have made a real difference. Look at the Cancun area. There were some rough patches. Hurricanes, failed time share projects. It's hotter than Hell in the summer. Yet, the growth has continued, so much so that there are plans to build another international airport near Playa Del Carmen, even as the Cancun airport has expanded multiple times. Why is that area so successful and popular, but Loreto remains relatively obscure? Any thoughts?

bill erhardt - 4-13-2009 at 10:15 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Pompano

"...........The problem with flying to Loreto happens when your dates are not flexible. And even with a 3-month advance the rates are still exorbitant. In my current case the date of arrival was not changeable.........."

Yes, when AA, or any other provider so enabled by having a corner on the market, has your cajones firmly in hand, they tend to squeeze.

[Edited on 4-13-2009 by bill erhardt]

vandenberg - 4-13-2009 at 12:21 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Bajahowodd
Why is that area so successful and popular, but Loreto remains relatively obscure? Any thoughts?

I believe it's the lack of easily accessable beaches.
The islands have beautiful beaches, but having to use boats to access them, you're depending on the weather, with wind during high season often throwing a monkeywrench into the proceedings.
It will never get to be another Cabo or Cancun, no matter what they try.
And thank God for small favors. :biggrin:

[Edited on 4-13-2009 by vandenberg]

bajabeachbabe - 4-13-2009 at 12:56 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Pompano
For some reason, all flights into Loreto by Alaska Air are super expensive. I would rather fly any other carrier to La Paz or even San Jose del Cabo.

I just bought a ticket to San Jose del Cabo based on cheapest same-day flights - (one-way only)

Here's my best flights research:

My departure airport to La Paz = $397
My departure airport to San Jose = $290

My departure airport to LORETO = $1,284 !!

I'll be driving from Loreto to San Jose and saving a thousand bucks. Might even buy some bling with the savings..

round trip prices:
My departure airport to La Paz =$847
My departure airport to San Jose =$764
My departure airport to LORETO = $2,643

That's an $1,879 increase to fly round -trip to Loreto rather than San Jose

Where are you departing from? I just checked in both May and June and round trip on Alaska from Seattle to Loreto is $530 roundtrip including taxes!

desertcpl - 4-13-2009 at 01:19 PM

they will be leaving Seattle,wa

Pompano - 4-13-2009 at 01:30 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by bajabeachbabe

Quote:

Where are you departing from? I just checked in both May and June and round trip on Alaska from Seattle to Loreto is $530 roundtrip including taxes!

Well, Seattle is a piece of cake. Now if I was in the land of lavender I would be happy to have that low fare.

Unfortunately, this flight is from Up North Canada to Baja...about 2000 miles further than Seattle. And you have to fly a puddle-jumper a few hundred miles first to get to the airport for the international departure! Up North ain't for everyone..but..you do get to shoot at wolves along the way.
:rolleyes:

The point I was trying to make is the vast difference in the ticket price from point A to Loreto ....as opposed to La Paz or Cabo.. when your dates are inflexible. Your 'departure' location makes no difference.

[Edited on 4-14-2009 by Pompano]

mulegemichael - 4-13-2009 at 01:58 PM

...that wasn't roz, roger..just another beach babe from up here in washington...roz is beachgirl...but..regarding the loreto airport...what are they gonna put in the great big, brand new terminal with only one airline flying there?...kinda overkill, huh?...we'll be flying down in may and used airmiles and it cost us $120 apiece...seems like the way to go.

Pompano - 4-13-2009 at 02:04 PM

Got the heads-up, Mike, and edited. Thanks. Sure hope it gets back to normal in Loreto soon...or we'll be hiring capt mike to be our private piloto.

LTO service via Alaska Airlines

djh - 4-13-2009 at 03:21 PM

Although I've golfed at the LB course a few times.... I'm NO fan of the big LB project and all the "promisses" (which went away like a Baja UHaul Truck). . . however, I was lead to believe that LBC WAS actually subsidizing the Alaska service to Loreto for the first couple of years thay Alaska flew there....

I'm sure there are other Nomads who have more info on this...??

djh

Quote:

Originally posted by Phil S
I'm wondering if somehow Loreto Bay had anything to these "high rates"??
Many airlines were "romanced" with the LB pr people about all the thousands of people who will be coming to Loreto. so some took a flier and 'came' to Loreto. Buuuttttttt. We all know the results of that fiasco!!! So any chance the airlines are trying to make up for the losses they took???? I can't even begin to understand airline rates????????? this is highway robbery!!!!! Mexican bandits have nothing compared to the airlines!!!!!!

Don Alley - 4-13-2009 at 03:38 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by djh
Although I've golfed at the LB course a few times.... I'm NO fan of the big LB project and all the "promisses" (which went away like a Baja UHaul Truck). . . however, I was lead to believe that LBC WAS actually subsidizing the Alaska service to Loreto for the first couple of years thay Alaska flew there....

I'm sure there are other Nomads who have more info on this...??

djh

I believe LB guaranteed a minimum number of seats, paying for some of the empty seats on planes with few passengers.

I think the AeroMexico San Diego flights begin this month, possibly out of the new terminal building. But the old San Diego flights were always expensive and I bet these will be too.

flyfishinPam - 4-13-2009 at 03:45 PM

Quote:

true Alaska was being subsidized to come here. we've had Alaska pilots fish with us that confirmed that, BUT Alaska was very pleased with the popularity of the LTO destination so increased the flights up from the original two per week that the subsidy covered. At the time AeroCal had just been grounded and AeroMexico was flying in.

I am in tourism and understand that if there's no demand the airlines won't fly here. There have been a few problems regarding the LTO destination that have kept commercial flights from coming here but I won't get into that. I thank goodness that Alaska still comes in at all! The economy will dictate what happens here and we als understand and accept that. As long as we continue to keep up the service and appeal we'll always have visitors. Just because you open your doors doesn't mean that "they will come", lots here don't understand that.

I hear the rumor about Aero Mexico from San diego but so far its not bookable and they're not on the system. I don't know what their schedule will be but it was sunday and thursdays last time. their website is www.aeromexico.com LTO is not an option yet. Also I keep hearing the start date changing, last time I heard was late July. that makes NO sense at all because that is the end of the fishing season and the start of the dead really slow fall season here. A bunch of homeowners won't be able to support the flights on their own if new ones do come online, only steady demand from tourism will bring the volume of passengers necessary.

over and out

Bajahowodd - 4-13-2009 at 04:55 PM

I think that the fact that Volaris doesn't fly to Loreto supports the idea that the destination is just not a profit center. As far as I'm concerned, I'll drive there, buy, and stay, and hope no one else decides to open it up as a big time resort.

nevadacitynurse - 4-13-2009 at 09:28 PM

I just bought a ticket on Alaska for a flight in less that 7 days and it was $194.00 each way, from LAX. That's not too bad?

rhintransit - 4-14-2009 at 02:30 PM

it's just when you reserve and what your flexibility is...I'm currently in the states, flew out early April, return end of April. ticket was 294 RT including taxes. I watch the published specials (website) and then search the available dates. when I was booking this one back in Feb it would have cost me closer to 500 RT for March, cheaper Easter week. go figure...