<p>Ok so I will be attending Cornell as a freshman this fall of 2011 and when i went to visit i noticed the airport in Ithaca was minute! On my way back my flight got cancelled twice and the place is so small that there were no other alternatives. I had to stay for two extra days and it left me thinking, “How often does this happen?” I was wondering if there are any alternatives such as larger airports an hour or two away that won’t have this problem or if it was just a one time bad luck that I had. Thanks in advance! =]</p>
<p>Ithaca airport cancelled for me many times, it is VERY unrealiable. This was in the summer and spring as well,so it wasnt even due to snow. it cancelled for fog once! WTH! ELmira, binghamton, and syracuse are all close by. elmira is 45 min away and syracuse is an hour and 10 minutes. You can take a car service, rent a car, or taxi there (taxi to syracuse cost 140, but u can split it with more people–i had to do that). or you can take a bus to nyc and fly out there (cost what 50 bucks?).</p>
<p>A lot of people fly to Syracuse … but then you have to deal with the hour trip from Syracuse (ride from friend, bus, etc) … and it’s been a LONG time since I was at Cornell so I’m not up on the best options from Syracuse’s airport.</p>
<p>I guess I have always had good luck with ITH airport. I have never had my flights getting delayed or cancelled; as others have suggested, going to Syracuse, LaGuardia, or JFK is another alternative.</p>
<p>
these are the NYC airports and are 4? hours from Cornell</p>
<p>Syracuse has any more flights.
On the other hand, it gets 1/3 more snow than Ithaca does.</p>
<p>You can fly to NYC and take a bus to Cornell?</p>
<p>most of the time i flew out of ithaca my flights were cancelled. i was super frustrated each time b/c i checked the status of my flight before i got into the taxi and in the 10 minute drive it was cancelled. what’s the point of checking/posting flight statuses online…</p>
<p>anyway, i put up with it b/c syracuse or rochester is a headache if you dont have a car. the bus service is crowded and feels like it takes forever. no wifi, people are loud, etc. i would have preferred to take schedule car service but it was like 200 each way. meh. i’d rather just take my chances since that’s the cost of a hotel room for a night. </p>
<p>the most economical choice is to fly into syracuse and take the cornell bus (runs on a few days before/after major breaks, not sure about summer) and it’s 50 total. you save flying into syracuse as well. (my tickets were about 100-250 more flying into ithaca)</p>
<p>i hate the syracuse airport though b/c it is so SMALL. there are only two food places and wifi is super slow. rochester is a bit father but a much nicer airport. it’s often cheaper to fly into rochester by about 40 bucks, but that cancels out in cab/car fare.</p>
<p>but to answer your original question: yes, the ithaca airport is very unreliable. i still used it though b/c it is super convenient. i flew in from phx so after a 7-8 hour flight, another 2 hours on a bus is a no go. just get a cab and in 10 minutes you’re done traveling</p>
<p>The campus-to-campus bus website says their buses have internet service. Is that different from “Wifi”?</p>
<p>I have heard that Cornell U. charters buses to take kids from JFK, LGA and Newark to Cornell (and vice versa) around the beginning/end of terms and around holidays. It is a 5 hour trip, though. The bus fares are subsidised by Cornell. Jackuk</p>
<p>no, that’s wifi but it’s a different service. campus to campus is from cornell ithaca to the cornell club in nyc. those buses are pretty nice with a bathroom and snacks and tables. it’s like 120-150 roundtrip for those.</p>
<p>the cornell bus to syracuse airport is just a regular charter bus</p>
<p>So… you can’t live without wifi for one hour? That’s what you were complaining about?
Kids today…</p>
<p>When I was your age we used to walk to Syracuse. Barefoot. Without wifi.</p>
<p>^ uphill both ways and it was always a blizzard!</p>
<p>haha no no, i can live without it, my phone has internet :)</p>
<p>the lack of wifi is just one thing. overall it’s the long trip after a long flight to a small airport. but yeah, probably a little spoiled</p>
<p>BTW I think I figured it out.
I had been thinking if weather conditions are too bad for flying in Ithaca, then on average they would be no better, if even, in Syracuse which gets yet 1/3 more snow.</p>
<p>But someone mentioned fog, maybe the bigger issue is severely overcast days, which maybe Ithaca has more of than Syracuse. I don’t know, just guessing.</p>
<p>But if a flight is canceled in both places, it seems probable that there will be a next one leaving from Syracuse well before a next one leaves from Ithaca. Since more flights leave from Syracuse in general.</p>
<p>my flights were usually cancelled b/c of weather issues in my connecting city (philadelphia) and then like you said–the next avail flight to my connection with enough time to make the second leg of my trip wasnt until the next morning. pretty much any flight after 3pm any cancellations or delays i was stuck until the next day.</p>
<p>the process of flying these days is insufferable.</p>
<p>Thank you guys you have all been very helpful! I guess since I’m new I have no choice but to check out all these options once I’m on campus. So far the bus from school to another airport seems like a really good idea I just have to check out what dates it is available because now that I think about it i cant imagine that little airport with half of Cornell trying to leave from it at the same time… lol</p>