dada9898

Can anyone please advise if this is an easy/doable commute from ATL to D.C. or EWR? Seems to be plenty of flights.

Firsttimeflyer

Might ask in the regional forum, ASA, now expressjet had a lot of ATL guys commuting to IAD from what I remember. Biggest issue with IAD is they bank flights. Also competition from guys doing a 2 leg from Florida.

maddogmax

Delta has hourly ATL-DCA flights

130drvr

UAL has put mainline metal on ATL EWR as of last Fall

Aviatorr

EWR is the easiest by far!

dada9898

Thanks for the feedback. I would love to live in base if I could get D.C. but the cost of living in ATL and trying to stay closer to family may force an easy commute instead of living in base. EWR would probably mean a crashpad.

McNugent

I'm a current ATL-EWR commuter. Overall it's not a big deal. United is all mainline 737's or A320's during the week. Generally there are plenty of seats on those flights. Otherwise big D has lots of mainline flights with few Delta commuters. Of course throw in weather and you might have some long days. Don't commute on weekends if at all possible. Reduced service and express flights make for a long day when all the jumpseaters are trying to get up there. Just be very conservative and have plan B, C and D ready to go and you'll be fine.

4 x 4

I have access to Delta's employee travelnet website, and I have been scoping out a possible ATL-EWR commute. All I see are oversold flights with lots of peeps on the standby list, but I know it can been a different story when the flight actually departs. Do you ever have trouble with loads on the delta flights? It's good to know the UAL flights generally have seats.

Also, how good is United's commuter policy? I know it's 2 flights (online or offline), but are they good about it if you have to use it? Does it apply to weather as well as pax loads? How does it work with a 2-leg commute? (For example, do you need 2 separate flights for both legs?)

v1valarob

Ive used the DCA / IAD / ATL on Delta numerous times. I never went more than 2 flights before getting a seat. The good news is when you look at each flight theres almost 1 flight every 40 minutes or so. The bad part is Delta puts those flights all over the place. You'll have DCA leaving out of a gate thats a train ride away from the flight leaving for IAD, and both flights will depart within minutes of each other. However, I found this to be an advantage on a few occasions as youll have some non-revs hanging out for one of the destinations but unable to make it if called for another one.

The stand by list for both will be mostly the same people, and because theres so many flights to both they dont wait for connecting passengers.

I found DCA - ATL & IAD - ATL to be more frustrating as you pretty much restrict yourself to one of the airports, and all of the Delta employees are trying to get to the hub to connect on.

McNugent

I have access to Deltanet as well. During the week usually isn't an issue. I've only been bumped once ever from a jumpseat when I actually had to ride up front. Granted, I'd say I ride up front about a third of the time.

In a year of commuting, I've never had to use the commuter policy (knock on wood). Again, I'm very conservative and give myself plenty of outs just in case. I went running for plan B last week and it all worked out... All you need is 2 flights with seats for the commuter policy to apply. When weather and other factors come into play, you are expected to take that into consideration. There are times where they will offer positive space travel when major weather is expected to impact the base. They publish this on CCS. It works great! I used that a lot this winter and it really takes the stress out of getting to work.

Honestly, I'm not sure how the 2 leg commute comes into play with number of flights needed. I've only 2 legged it once to get home. CLT is a great option to 2 leg it. Airways always seems to have seats and it's all Airbus the whole way. 2 jumpseats up front.