TalkBaja.com » Baja Mexico Forums » General Discussion

using the normal search engines on the net this info is SCARCE.
What is the best way to fly from San Diego to La Paz? Tijuana?
All the flights I have found head to the DEF or LAX first.....which seems kind of silly

Hopefully someone will correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think there are any flights between San Diego and La Paz. The only international flight I know of is Alaska/Horizon via Los Angeles, and it's expensive. Some folks take Volaris out of Tijuana, which is direct and apparently cheaper.

I once had a connection to the east coast via San Diego. I had to fly LAP-LAX, then take another flight from LAX-SAN. Talk about silly … the plane spent at least 2-3 times as long taxiing as it did flying!

Yeah, service out of San Diego is quite limited.....TJ is an easy option, though.

If you go through one of the TJ travel agents (there are several at Plaza Rio) you will probably get your best deal IMHO...

Sign of the times is that international service to both Loreto and La Paz is in the dumper. Recently read that several US airlines have applied for routes to Mexico that were formerly operated by Mexicana. Sad. Mexicana was bought by the Fiesta Americana people, and at the time it looked like amazing synergy. Guess what happened is that the Fiesta Americana folks just wanted to extract greater profits from their investment, and decided that labor costs were too high. Have to wonder about how labor costs in Mexico can be too high.

Or just book your flights out of TJ on-line directly with Volaris....Dra/Mrs. Bajabass has done that several times & gotten some pretty decent fares.

Just remember, since you'll be initiating your flight in Baja, there won't be any airline verification that you have current & properly stamped FMM visas! The first time they'll be required would be by the immigration folks in La Paz....and they can be downright testy if you haven't yet obtained them, plus there is the pesky fine. Just ask Bajabass!

Ask him anyway, because I believe there is an Immigration desk/office at the TJ airport where you can get legal before your flight. Plus I believe he can give you suggestions for affordable parking on the San Diego side of the border unless friends are driving you to the TJ airport.

Unless this will be a "convert undercover" visit, let some of the La Paz folks know your schedule & we could plan for a get-together to meet & answer any questions you may have....as a matter of fact, some of the good folks here have even been known to volunteer answers to several questions you don't know that you should be asking!

Frank:

Try this link I found on the Southwest site:

Southwest Airlines - Mexico Reservations

Before I had my FM3 I remember you could get your tourist visa at the TJ airport, at a desk right before you go into the check in area. Probably a good idea to get it at the border though just in case...

Originally Posted by Bajahowodd

...several US airlines have applied for routes to Mexico...

"...Southwest Airlines Co. said Monday that it plans to acquire smaller rival AirTran Holdings Inc...extend Southwest's service outside the U.S. for the first time, with the addition of AirTran routes to Mexico and the Caribbean..."

Our neighbors fly down 2 or 3 times per month and take Volaris out of TJ to La Paz. They live in San Diego and I don't know the details of where they park on the US side or which border crossing they use. Also don't know if once across the border they catch a taxi to the TJ airport or take a Volaris shuttle.

I do know that they bring their very large bulldog and walk across the border with her in her huge crate and they still say it's a piece of cake. They like Volaris because they can book flights on the spur of the moment and the airline is great with the dog.

I think they've got this method of travel down to a science and I can find out more details of parking and border crossing if you're interested.

Originally Posted by Marty Cortez

"...Southwest Airlines Co. said Monday that it plans to acquire smaller rival AirTran Holdings Inc...extend Southwest's service outside the U.S. for the first time, with the addition of AirTran routes to Mexico and the Caribbean..."

Southwest Airlines Newsroom: Releases

Weird, but they just announced en expansion of their partnership with Volaris. However, they don't offer any service to Baja through that partnership.