Have you ever wondered how to book a flight through Presque Isle International Airport? Whether you are planning a business trip or family vacation, it can sometimes feel overwhelming. We’ve created a step-by-step guide online at flypresqueisle.com, where more details are available.
This brief introduction can help get you started. The series of guides includes the following three situations that the traveling public may encounter.
When JetBlue offers service between PQI and your destination.
JetBlue has more than 75 non-stop destinations from Boston’s Logan International Airport and is Logan’s number-one airline. The airline has an interactive route map on their website, where you can enter “Presque Isle” and then see every city you can fly to from Presque Isle.
If JetBlue does not serve the exact airport you wish to fly to, use the map to determine if they fly to an airport within easy driving distance of your final destination. For example, the airline doesn’t serve Daytona Beach in Florida, but they do serve Orlando, which is just over an hour drive from Daytona Beach.
If you have a family member, friend or business associate that is trying to determine if they can fly on JetBlue to Presque Isle, they can use the interactive map as well. If a destination meets your needs, you will need to check flight availability for the dates you wish to travel. You can do that right from the interactive map.
When a JetBlue Partner airline flies between Boston and your destination.
If JetBlue does not serve your final destination, one of their airline partners may. These partners offer additional options for destinations and may have shorter connection times. Booking and bag handling are seamless with these partners. To check for flights with partner connections, go to www.jetblue.com. Enter your “from” and “to” locations and travel dates.
If a partner does not serve the exact airport you wish to fly to, consider flying to a larger city within easy driving distance. You can also check the route maps of airline partners at www.jetblue.com/airline-partners.
When JetBlue or partners don’t fly to your destination.
If JetBlue or its partners do not serve an airport near your destination, you should consider doing what is called a self-transfer, which is a flight arrangement that involves booking two or more flights from different airlines to reach your destination, and then transferring between them yourself.
This is simply done by booking a round-trip ticket on jetBlue between Presque Isle and Boston, and then a second round-trip ticket on another airline from Boston to your final destination. You transfer your bags and check in for both airlines yourself. A more detailed discussion of the advantages and disadvantages of self-transfers can be found at https://simpleflying.com/a-guide-to-unprotected-connections-the-benefits-risks/ and https://www.airhelp.com/en/blog/what-are-your-rights-for-self-connecting-flights.
Boston has a large variety of options for booking self-transfers to destinations that JetBlue or its airline partners do not serve. When selecting the second airline, consider the location of its gates. The gates for every airline in Boston except Delta and Westjet can be reached inside security from any JetBlue gate. Therefore, if you are just taking a carry-on bag, you can walk directly from the JetBlue gate to your next gate.
I also recommend checking in online 24 hours prior to your departure so you have your boarding pass before arriving at the connecting gate in Boston. If you have a checked bag and you are doing a self-transfer, you will have to go outside security and retrieve your checked bag. The bag will need to be rechecked with your connecting airline. This is discussed in further detail on Boston Logan’s Connection page and in the Boston connection video.
Our Boston Connection video demonstrates how to make connections in Boston and is a great resource for planning your trip. Find it on our website, flypresqueisle.com, and scroll down the page. On the site, you can navigate to a page that provides detailed information on making connections in Boston.
Traveling through Presque Isle is easier with these tips and resources. If you have questions or need assistance, please feel free to reach out to us, visit us online, or check out our Facebook site FlyPresqueIsle. Happy travels.
Scott Wardwell is airport director for Presque Isle International Airport. He can be reached at 764-2550 or via email at scottw@flypresqueisle.com.
