Is flying from Erie a good deal? Cost comparison with Buffalo, Cleveland, Pittsburgh

School is almost out for students, which means travel season isn’t far away for families in northwest Pennsylvania.

Local residents have choices when booking holiday flights. They can depart from Erie International Airport or drive to nearby airports in Buffalo, Cleveland or Pittsburgh.

But which is the most affordable choice? Flight prices may vary, but here’s a look at the costs of various trips planned for early June, based on information posted on the Expedia website as of May 8.

The first flight I compared was American Airlines (Erie’s only carrier) to Charlotte, North Carolina, departing Friday June 7 and returning Monday June 10.

Are you flying out of Erie? I have to stop in Charlotte

Why Charlotte? Because it’s the only commercial destination at Erie Airport. Here are the prices for American Airlines flights:

• Erie to Charlotte, $455 nonstop, round trip

• Cleveland to Charlotte, $392 nonstop, round trip

• Pittsburgh to Charlotte, $507 nonstop, round trip

• Buffalo to Charlotte, $220 nonstop, round trip

Factoring in the cost of driving to other cities and parking at the airport (it’s easier for family/friends to drive you to the Erie airport), Erie is comparable to Cleveland and offers a better deal than Pittsburgh. But the Buffalo deal is simply unbeatable.

And the other destinations? Let’s look at American Airlines flights to San Francisco, departing June 7 and returning June 14:

• Erie to San Francisco, $443, one stop, round trip; 9 hours and 28 minutes

• Cleveland to San Francisco, $401, one stop, round trip; 8 hours and 16 minutes

• Pittsburgh to San Francisco, $403, one stop, round trip; 7 hours and 22 minutes

• Buffalo to San Francisco, $421, one stop, round trip; 8 hours and 41 minutes

Here are the American Airlines flights to Orlando for the same dates:

• Erie to Orlando, $283, one stop, round trip; 5 hours and 7 minutes

• Cleveland to Orlando, $304, one stop, round trip; 4 hours and 47 minutes

• Pittsburgh to Orlando, $327, one stop, round trip; 3 hours and 43 minutes

• Buffalo to Orlando, $325, one stop, round trip; 4 hours and 34 minutes

Flying American Airlines from Erie costs less than flying the same airline from any other city, which also includes a layover.

Other airlines offer non-stop flights, at lower prices

However, you’re not limited to American Airlines when flying from Buffalo, Pittsburgh, or Cleveland. You also get non-stop options.

Let’s look at the best nonstop flights to San Francisco considering all airlines:

• Cleveland to San Francisco, $370, United Airlines

• Pittsburgh to San Francisco, $401, United Airlines

• Buffalo to San Francisco, $376, one stop (no nonstop flights), Delta

Nonstop round-trip flights to Orlando are much cheaper, due to the popularity of budget airlines to that particular city:

• Cleveland to Orlando, $168, Frontier Airlines

• Pittsburgh to Orlando, $102, Spirit Airlines

• Buffalo to Orlando, $217, Jet Blue

Convenience the main reason many travelers prefer Erie Airport

Yet many Erie travelers still prefer to fly from Erie International Airport, said Ann Denny, owner of Miller Travel Services.

“We’ve seen about the same number of people preferring to fly from Erie as we did five or 10 years ago,” Denny said. “Some don’t care what it costs, others want to fly from Erie for convenience. They don’t want to have to drive two hours to another airport.”

The main problem lies in the single commercial destination of the Erie airport. Those wanting to go to New York or Las Vegas still have to fly to Charlotte and change planes.

Airport officials and business leaders met with airlines to lobby for new services and new destinations. And the Erie Regional Chamber and Growth Partnership are developing a Fly Erie Fund to provide a subsidy to airlines for Erie service.

“We could really use another place, like Chicago,” Denny said.

HERE to HELP: Do you have a consumer question you would like us to help you with? Leave a message for David Bruce at 870-1736, email [email protected] or mail to 205 W. 12th St., Erie, PA 16534.

This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: How much do flights from Erie cost? Compared to other airports