OT - Help flying into Ann Arbor
20 minutes from Ann Arbor on 94. If you can't rent a car, you can get to Ann Arbor for like $40.
Thank you! I was hoping you said that. I new Detroit was close but not sure how close, or how good/bad/safe/easy DTW was.
Is one of the nicest airports in the country....and it is safe...Not really sure why this was even a question.
Is a word that scares a lot of people these days. And sadly, I'm not talking sports.
August 4th, 2010 at 10:38 AM ^
But I have never heard of people fearing for their own safety while in an airport. Regardless of Detroit's reputation, the notion of that is absurd to me.
10 years ago, perhaps fewer, DTW was repeatedly voted the worst airport in the country.
The opening of the new terminals has changed that though.
August 4th, 2010 at 10:02 AM ^
Are you really unsure why it is a question? Aren't safety concerns seminal to human behavior? I would ask this question of Houston, LAX, Chicago, etc because I haven't been there. Ex. JFK airport was scary and anxious trip because it is a one way road with thousands of New Yorkers commuting. To me, that is a safety issue. I'm not assuming I'm getting stabbed as soon as I step off the plane because its OMFGDETROIT...I live in Philly...been there done that.
August 4th, 2010 at 10:30 AM ^
DTW is a dream. New, big, clean, good highway access in and out. The only thing you need to keep in mind is if you are driving to Ann Arbor, you are heading west toward Chicago, not east toward Detroit. The major signs all say Chicago or Detroit, no mention of Ann Arbor. You want Chicago, as unintuitive as that might sound.
I can't really remember Philly's airport, so it can't be too bad.
August 4th, 2010 at 10:54 AM ^
is also not in Detroit. It is located in Romulus and is surrounded mostly by farmland.
August 4th, 2010 at 11:11 AM ^
The crime rate is incredibly high there, and it is filled with drug dealers and gang members. I just hope this guys flight doesn't pull into the wrong gate, or that he wanders into that end of the terminal accidentally.
You can also take the Michigan Flyer to/from the airport to Ann Arbor for $30. It's a fairly comfortable coach bus with free wifi onboard. I find it's pretty convenient, especially since you can walk around most of Ann Arbor's downtown and campus area easily. A rental car might be better if you're staying at a hotel outside of the downtown/campus area, unless you're the type who is comfortable with using the bus system in town (it's easy).
DTW.
Private? Dunno other than AA.
August 4th, 2010 at 11:24 AM ^
Willow Run is where all the military aircraft that do the fly-overs fly into on Fridays. If you are lucky, most of the time the F18s or F-16s performing the flyover will do a practice run Friday afternoons to get a feel for the layout of Ann Arbor. I'm looking into doing my "cross country" flight in my T-34 to Ann Arbor to catch a game and Willow run is closer to Ann Arbor and the airport landing fees may be a little cheaper than KDTW.
August 4th, 2010 at 11:32 AM ^
Remember the days of flight tracking during the coaching search? That was fun.
Wow! Sounds like fun, is that the regular T-34 or the Turbo version? how many hours a year do you log? I really like Military aircraft.
Detroit Metro would be the best. All of the major arilines fly in and it is a delta hub. The next best would be flint or Toledo. Stay away from GR Ford in Grand Rapids. Flights in and out of Ford tend to be way overpriced. You could also try Lansing. I have gotten cheap flights from lansing.
DTW is the obvious choice...done it many times over the years. Also recommend one of the airport area hotels if you are staying over. There are several nice ones and much cheaper than anything in Ann Arbor, especially on a football weekend.
I am in Connecticut (enemy territory for Game 1) and driving, but I have a party of four
August 4th, 2010 at 10:01 AM ^
Would anyone recommend taking a train into Ann Arbor or is flying the best way of travel? I know train is cheaper, but slower...just looking for e-pinions
August 4th, 2010 at 10:08 AM ^
The issue with taking the train (other than the time and the expense, which is likely to be about the same as flying) is that you have to get off in Toledo and take a bus to somewhere else (Pontiac?) to get to the line that Ann Arbor is on.
So no, train from the east coast is a bad option. From Chicago, it's a good option.
August 4th, 2010 at 10:19 AM ^
I took Amtrak to/from New York this year, and there's actually an Amtrak shuttle bus for the Toledo station that goes through Ann Arbor. The train ride itself was ~16 hours, plus however long you're in the Toledo station waiting for the shuttle. I think I ended up spending about $50 less each way compared to the cheapest available flights.
August 4th, 2010 at 10:15 AM ^
If you mean fly into DTW then take the train to Ann Arbor, definitely not. There is no train stop at or near DTW. In fact, the closest stops (I think) are downtown Detroit and Ann Arbor itself.
If you meant taking the train all the way from Philly, I hope you've got a lot of time on your hands. You'd be better off driving.
August 4th, 2010 at 10:36 AM ^
I was curious how long the train took.
Leaving on Friday before the UConn game from Philly at noon would get you into Ann Arbor at 8 AM on game day. Change trains in Pittsburgh, bus from Toledo to Ann Arbor. $106 one way. That's actually better than I thought it would be. I wouldn't do it, but it's not entirely out of the realm if someone deeply loves train travel. The worst part might be the bus from Toledo, which somehow takes 2 hours 10 minutes to get from Toledo to Ann Arbor.
EDIT: On further examination, the worst part is clearly waiting from 5 AM to 630AM in Toledo for the bus to take you to Ann Arbor.
August 4th, 2010 at 10:43 AM ^
So the wait probably isn't always that long. My MIL takes the train from Philly, but we generally go down to Toledo to pick her up.
August 4th, 2010 at 10:46 AM ^
That makes sense. I had forgotten about the chronic lateness of Amtrak.
August 4th, 2010 at 11:33 AM ^
The train doesn't stop at the air port. Your best bet is to rent a car or take a shuttle in.
No way. Odds are you'd end up getting stuck due to a derailment or something and miss the game. Fly into DTW Friday afternoon. Rent a car or take the shuttle to an Ann Arbor hotel. Visit bars on Friday night. Rise early Saturday morning to begin tailgating. Watch Michigan blow the doors off UConn Saturday afternoon. Visit more bars Saturday night celebrating Michigan victory. Breakfast Sunday morning at Angelo's or Broken Egg, Depart DTW Sunday late morning or early afternoon.
There is your itinerary. Make it happen.
August 4th, 2010 at 10:15 AM ^
DTW is a fantastic airport. One of the best I've been to no doubt. The new terminals are awesome and there are seldom problems with congestion, despite it being one of the country's busiest airports. Plus, it takes only 30-40 minutes to drive there from Ann Arbor (as others have said). If you want to travel in style, rent a metro car. I think they are $35 each way. Or there is the Mega Bus which is cheap but I'm not sure of the schedule. However you get here, enjoy Ann Arbor!