Recommend an airport shuttle for wife? Columbine to DIA

[Martinjmpr]

Wondering if anyone can recommend an airport shuttle service for my wife.

Here's why: We are going to San Diego in August for a long weekend event (Tiki Oasis, if anyone's ever heard of it - we have friends who go every year and they've been asking us to go for a while.) The event runs Thursday through Sunday.

The thing is, I HATE flying.* Just hate all the annoyances that go along with it, the waiting, the being herded from place to place like cattle, etc. Hate every second of it. But the wife is OK with all that.

Also, even though we're only there for a short time, It's occurred to me that it might be handy to have a car. So my plan is this: I'll work a short day on Wednesday, then throw our suitcases into my Pathfinder and head west. I'll sleep in the car somewhere in Utah (I've done a lot of primitive camping there so I know exactly where to go to do that.) Next day I'll wake up early and drive on in, should be in SD by ~5:00pm or so. Coming home I'd make a similar arrangement, i.e. leave mid-day Sunday, drive for 6 hours or so then sleep in the car, and drive home the next day.

What I want to do, then, is arrange transportation for the wife when I buy her airline ticket. I want to have everything locked down and reserved so all she has to do is step out of the house on Thursday, get onto the shuttle which will take her to DIA. Then all she has to do is clear security and get on the plane (since I'm driving I will have all the bags except her carry on which should make her trip through the airport easier.)

So can anyone recommend a shuttle? Unfortunately we're in Columbine which is pretty much as far as it's possible to be from DIA and still be in the Denver metro area. :rolleyes: I know she could do a cab or an Uber or Lyft but I'd prefer something I could reserve ahead of time. Back in 2010 we did a 3 week Alaska trip and I think we reserved our to/from airport transportation on a Big Blue Shuttle or something like that. I just want to get recommendations from someone who's actually used a shuttle service.

Thanks in advance!

BTW before anyone says it (because I know someone will), yes I know it would make the most sense, time-wise and money-wise, for the two of us to just fly together and if neccessary to rent a car. But (a) I like road trips and I hate flying and (b) one of the great things about being an adult with the kids out of the house is that sometimes you can do what you want instead of doing what "makes sense." :D

Also I should point out that I'm toying with the idea of maybe spending a few extra days in SD. Wife doesn't work and I have plenty of vacation time.


* Hate flying commercial, that is. If I could get a C-130 to San Diego and then jump out over the beach I'd be fine with flying. [LOL]

[hurley842002]

I still recommend Uber or Lyft, may check to see if there is an option to book ahead of time with them. I don't have any personal experience with shuttle services, but my co-worker used one to get to the airport so we could fly to GA for our academy, and they didn't show, but claimed they showed up. Needless to say my co-worker ended up driving and paying to park, barely made it to the airport, and we were running to the terminal.

[cableguy11]

I used Super Shuttle all the time from FoCo to DIA...unfortunately they no longer service the area. I never had a problem with them. Pick up at my door to DIA. They do pick you up unusually early sometimes, but other than that no issues.

[funkymonkey1111]

What's the problem with Uber? wouldn't consider anything else personally, but then again, i don't even know where Columbine is-but i'd bet there's Uber service there. Also, you can reserve an Uber up to 30 days in advance

you mentioned what you prefer for your wife. What does she prefer? Are you generally making transportation decisions for her?

Also, unless you only have one vehicle and/or your wife in incapable of driving, parking even in the close-in garages for a long weekend would likely be cheaper than a two way Uber, and will certainly be cheaper than a shuttle.

[Monky]

It says you're in littleton, so I'd just say Uber it.. or Lyft.. with Uber you can prearrange a ride.

[ray1970]

Pictures of the wife might help.

If she's an attractive woman someone here might be willing to give her a ride.

[Coffee]

[Gunner]

Uber or lyft

And

Man you must really hate flying haha


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[davsel]

Not a good idea posting to the world when your house will be empty.
Just sayin.

[Martinjmpr]

Not a good idea posting to the world when your house will be empty.
Just sayin.

I didn't say the house would be empty. :)


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[cstone]

My wife and I often do this. She flies and I drive. I enjoy the drive and she gets picked up curbside at whatever airport she is flying into.

I don't know where exactly you are in Columbine, but the least expensive way to get to DIA is via RTD. If you can get a friend, neighbor, or family member to take her to the nearest light rail station, she can connect at Union Station to the airport. Since you will have most of her luggage with you, she won't be burdened on the train or bus with heavy bags. Even if she can't find someone to take her to the light rail, an Uber/Lyft/taxi to the light rail will cost less than a ride to the airport.

When driving from Denver to San Diego, I normally take advantage of the numerous inexpensive hotel rooms in Las Vegas. Even if you only made it to St George, the drive is easy till you get to San Bernardino.

Enjoy the drive. Be safe.

[hurley842002]

My wife and I often do this. She flies and I drive. I enjoy the drive and she gets picked up curbside at whatever airport she is flying into.

I don't know where exactly you are in Columbine, but the least expensive way to get to DIA is via RTD. If you can get a friend, neighbor, or family member to take her to the nearest light rail station, she can connect at Union Station to the airport. Since you will have most of her luggage with you, she won't be burdened on the train or bus with heavy bags. Even if she can't find someone to take her to the light rail, an Uber/Lyft/taxi to the light rail will cost less than a ride to the airport.

When driving from Denver to San Diego, I normally take advantage of the numerous inexpensive hotel rooms in Las Vegas. Even if you only made it to St George, the drive is easy till you get to San Bernardino.

Enjoy the drive. Be safe.


Great idea, I'll have to keep that one in mind for my wife. I too would rather drive than fly, and my wife is the opposite. Sometimes a nice long drive, by yourself through territory you don't frequent often, is the best form of therapy.

[Monky]

My wife and I often do this. She flies and I drive. I enjoy the drive and she gets picked up curbside at whatever airport she is flying into.

I don't know where exactly you are in Columbine, but the least expensive way to get to DIA is via RTD. If you can get a friend, neighbor, or family member to take her to the nearest light rail station, she can connect at Union Station to the airport. Since you will have most of her luggage with you, she won't be burdened on the train or bus with heavy bags. Even if she can't find someone to take her to the light rail, an Uber/Lyft/taxi to the light rail will cost less than a ride to the airport.

When driving from Denver to San Diego, I normally take advantage of the numerous inexpensive hotel rooms in Las Vegas. Even if you only made it to St George, the drive is easy till you get to San Bernardino.

Enjoy the drive. Be safe.

You mean the train that sometimes works?

[Madeinhb]

Time wise doesn't matter much. My wife are driving out in end of July, maybe in August. We will get up early and make the drive to Vegas. Stay the night there. Then drive rest of way next day. It takes more "travel" time but the gas is cheaper to drive than pay for an airline ticket, rent a car, etc. If we have to fly-fishing we fly at night and get to Socal around 11 pm. So I told wife, all flying does is give us breakfast time.

But if your wife has to fly, Uber it. It's cheaper than a shuttle.

[cstone]

You mean the train that sometimes works?

More likely to take a delay on the flight than the train. Still, the contractor and RTD sure have screwed the rail system up. I'm pretty sure that trains are not a new technology and that a few other cities around the planet have figured out that whole crossing gate and electrical power thing. I think RTD must have hired the same contractor that put the original, non-functional baggage system in at DIA.

[Monky]

More likely to take a delay on the flight than the train. Still, the contractor and RTD sure have screwed the rail system up. I'm pretty sure that trains are not a new technology and that a few other cities around the planet have figured out that whole crossing gate and electrical power thing. I think RTD must have hired the same contractor that put the original, non-functional baggage system in at DIA.

It's apparently the first rail line to use the new technology... so no one has actually used it... just in theory. It is however a cluster fuck and probably is that same company.


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[Mtneer]

The house above us was broken into the same night our neighbor was taken to DIA by an Uber driver. Coincidence? Me thinks not. You're basically telling a stranger your house is unoccupied. If you have to use a service like that, I'd arrange pick up somewhere other than your house.

[Martinjmpr]

I too would rather drive than fly, and my wife is the opposite. Sometimes a nice long drive, by yourself through territory you don't frequent often, is the best form of therapy.

This x 1000.

Wife and I camp a lot with our trailer so we've done quite a few long road trips together. I enjoy them but she pretty much just "puts up" with them - which in turn means I spend a lot of time taking care of her. A road trip by myself is a nice break for me because I don't have that responsibility of making sure she's comfortable, etc. Plus she usually wants to choose the music we listen to and let's just say that her taste in music and mine differ somewhat (as in, I don't have even one Britney Spears or Shakira song on my iPhone. [thumbdown] )


When driving from Denver to San Diego, I normally take advantage of the numerous inexpensive hotel rooms in Las Vegas. Even if you only made it to St George, the drive is easy till you get to San Bernardino.

I didn't think there was anything "inexpensive" in Vegas these days.

Las Vegas isn't even a city, it's a giant machine whose only industry is figuring out how to shake every penny out of the people who pass through there.

20 years ago I remember there were still places where you could get a nice steak dinner for under $10, the idea being that if they could get you in the door you'd probably do some gambling. But it seems they've caught on to cheap SOBs like me who would take the cheap goodies and walk right on by the one-armed-bandits so now they sock you for money for everything. Even parking at most of the big casinos costs now. And last time we were there (in 2014 at Halloween) the traffic on Las Vegas Blvd was horrendous.

Anyway, I'm not going to throw money away on a hotel when all I need is a place to lay my head. A sleeping bag and a sleeping pad in the back of my Pathfinder work fine and you can't beat the cost. The area along the San Rafael Swell from Green River to Richfield is filled with places where you can pull off on a dirt road and sleep for the night - been there, done that. ;)