Some of the "discount" travel sites (Orbitz, Expedia, travelocity) have a "Fare Watch" feature where they will e-mail you if an airline has a fare that drops to a certain predetermined price level (that you input). This time last year I was in your same position, looking for a ticket fron So cal to IM Florida. Using a fare watcher (and checking a lot on my own), I found RT airfare on American Airlines from LAX to Pensacola for about $210.00. It's about a 90 minute drive from Pensacola to PCB. Plus they only dinged me at LAX for the bike case, and didn't charge me extra on the return trip home.

Jeff

Pensacola is another option. It is about 85 miles from Panama City but the dirve along the coast is nice. Mobile would be about 2.5 hour drive. Again, not a bad drive.

We always fly into Fort Walton Beach and rent a vehicle there - the drive is about 75 mins give or take East - and is usually quiet - PCB is much closer but the fares are usually much higher.

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Graham Wilson
USAT Level III Elite Coach
http://www.thewilsongroup.biz

I like flying into Ft. Walton. I connect in Memphis and the flight is almost always cheaper. Plus, PCB is prop only and most of the bikes get bumped to a later flight. To much of a hasle for me.

I was supposed to fly right into PCB in 04 but missed a connector in Atlanta. They ended up sending me to Fort Walton and cabbed me to PCB and it seemed like a nice drive with great scenery, but then I wasnt driving.

Ditto the Fort Walton Beach option, though as someone has mentioned Pensacola might work as well....no issues, except for the return trip where our morning flight was delayed 3+ hours by fog, thereby necessitating a sprint---not easy to do less than 2 days after a crappy IM---through the Dallas airport for the connect to SFO.

But FWB airport is easy to get around, renting a car was a snap, and the drive was pretty easy, though a bit spooky at night as there was not much light on the road that takes you along the coast to PCB.

ive done the drive and it stinks. its not worth the savings you might get. its about 130 miles (just mapquested it) but i could have sworn it took more like 2.5 to 3 hrs to get there. after being on a plane for such a long time the last thing youll want to do is to sit in a car for a few hours.