Preparing for BlizzCon: Getting there by air
by Robin Torres 
Jun 19th 2009 at 6:00PM
You have some time to make travel arrangements for BlizzCon, but you should be aware of your options now and be looking for deals. In general, it is best to make your reservations at least 2 weeks in advance for most carriers, but there are sometimes last minute deals and also specials run periodically. Take your time and choose wisely.
There are many airports in the local area, but here are the 3 best options:
- Los Angeles: LAX is the largest airport near Anaheim, but is an hour away, with good traffic (a rarity in Los Angeles). Regardless, it may be your cheapest option and most airlines fly there.
- John Wayne: SNA is the closest airport to Anaheim. Many airlines fly into it, including Virgin. It is smallish and only a half an hour away with traffic. If you can get a good deal, this is a better choice than LAX.
- Long Beach: LGB is my personal favorite airport. It is only a couple miles farther away from Anaheim than SNA and you can travel between the convention center and airport via surface streets easily. (L.A. freeways can be scary.) It has a single terminal with an authentic Art Deco decor -- a historical landmark even. Only a handful of airlines fly in and out of there, but one of them is JetBlue.
Something to remember when you are choosing your flights to BlizzCon: rush "hour" traffic is nasty and should be avoided if you value your sanity. Los Angeles problem times on weekdays are approximately 7am to 9am and again between 4pm to 7pm or later. So plan your arrival and departure times accordingly. All three airports have multiple shuttle vendors to get you to and from the airport, should you not want to rent a car.
And don't ever expect to see empty roads in the greater L.A. area. 3am is just uncrowded on the freeways and main streets -- never deserted. Big city is big.
BlizzCon 2009 is coming up on August 21st and 22nd! We've got all the latest news and information. At BlizzCon, you can play the latest games, meet your guildmates, and ask the developers your questions. Plus, there are some great looking costumes.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
jfofla Jun 19th 2009 6:13PM
If you are arriving on the Thursday before Blizzcon, make sure you arrive at night or early in the day. If you try to head to Anaheim between 2:30pm and 8:00pm you are in for one long, long drive in the worst traffic man has ever seen.
Kirklees Jun 19th 2009 6:21PM
Should we ask someone to nerf the 405?
islandstyle Jun 19th 2009 6:27PM
Nerfing the 405 is impossible. Even at 11pm at night it's a nightmare. Rarely is it ever a smooth ride. Thankfully I don't have to take that freeway to work. Good ole L.A. side streets, pretty bad, but not as bad as the freeway.
So, if you can, for sure go either to Long Beach or John Wayne. Even getting out of LAX can be a pain, especially if flights land around the same time of each other.
But hey, at least you get to go to BlizzCon. I live 'right there' and couldn't get a ticket :'(
Arais Jun 19th 2009 6:14PM
No Blizzcon-air reference :(
kubien Jun 19th 2009 6:14PM
Minor correction: Los Angeles problem times on weekdays and weekends are approximately 7am to 7pm or later. :P
Long Beach Airport is the way to go if you can find a cheap flight to it. Very few airlines fly into it, and there's not a lot of flights in and out.
Not to mention, its one of the only airports with a cell phone lot. If someone is picking you up, there's a parking lot 2 blocks from the airport, specifically for a friend to park in, waiting to hear from you to pick you up.
AishaLove Jun 19th 2009 6:24PM
I decided to go to blizzcon via time travel, about 30 years from now, when the convention center is empty and I have some free time (also when the time hat will be invented) I'll just hop into the empty building rotate my knobs and boom Blizzcon 2009!!
By then it will be more for nostalgia though, and to see blizzard at it's prime before the failocalyps hits in 2013
Tzi Jun 19th 2009 6:26PM
Another local tip:
You didn't mention Ontario International (ONT), but it's a closer than LAX to Anaheim. As an added bonus, due to traffic, it'll be twice as fast to get in an out of. I live close to ONT and can get to Anaheim in 20 minutes if the freeways are moderately clear. You're lucky to get out of LAX *itself* in that kind of time.
It's bigger than LGB (but still not crowded) and tends to have a lot more flights in and out, meaning you can very often get cheaper fares.
John Wayne'll be the most convenient by far if money or flight times isn't an issue, as it's only a short jog from Anaheim.
ohyeah Jun 19th 2009 6:28PM
Disney actually toyed with the idea of purchasing ONT at one point for Disneyland, due to its proximity.
Tzi Jun 19th 2009 6:44PM
Okay, a map tells me that ONT is almost exactly the same amount of miles from Anaheim as LAX.
However, I am steadfast in that it is a superior airport in most ways, and definitely a far faster and less stressful drive.
mmalsed Jun 21st 2009 1:47PM
I agree completely! Long Beach is as far as LAX and is pretty small; John Wayne is pretty close, but you're stuck going through the 5/405 interchange and then the 5/57/22 interchange - both of which suck.
Ontario, on the other hand, is just over on the 10, and then down the 57. Only one interchange is messy (57/60) and it's usually not too bad outside of rush hour.
Yeah - bad miss. Ontario is a NICE airport. Needs to be included.
Robin Torres Jun 21st 2009 2:17PM
I did not mention Ontario because it is farther away than both John Wayne and Long Beach and both are better options. There is also Burbank which is as far away as Ontario, but a nicer airport than LAX and just a trip down the 5. I didn't mention that either.
mmalsed, Long Beach is MUCH closer than LAX and is a delightful airport. JetBlue is a great airline and flies in there.
I stand by my recommendation.
jfofla Jun 19th 2009 6:38PM
You guys reminded me that getting your luggage in LAX often takes longer than your flight.
Another note, if your birthday happens to be during Blizzcon, if you go to Uncle Mickey's website and register, the rat will let you in for free, but only on your birthday and only if you register in advance. Uncle Mickey is a cheap S.O.B., but he does give in sometimes.
chinasky Jun 19th 2009 6:39PM
Just a note, Long Beach and Santa Ana have curfews on arriving flights. Plan on arriving before 8pm if it is a long/cross-country flight. A delay of 1-2 hours can put the plane past the curfew time and it will be diverted to LAX or Ontario. The airline spring for your transport to hotel, but it is a major inconvenience when it happens.
As a matter of personal experience, Long Beach is the best airport experience and it is a very short drive to the convention center. (30 minutes in moderate traffic.)
BioHazard Jun 19th 2009 6:42PM
Commercial airlines? I was just going to fly in on my Wyvern...
Is LA a no-fly zone or something?
jfofla Jun 19th 2009 7:06PM
LA is like Wintergrasp. Only commercial flights get through.
Randy Jun 19th 2009 6:43PM
I recommend Ontario Airport ONT....it has most of the big Airlines (Southwest, United, US Airways, Delta) and has a good number of flights. If you wanna rent a car and avoid the higher price Anaheim hotels you can drive very easily, its about a 30 minute drive.
chinasky Jun 19th 2009 6:48PM
I like Ontario for ease of access, but I would not recommend Ontario in August. That place is hot and nasty. If you are okay with a drive, head toward the beach. There are plenty of great options along the coast for reasonable rates on an ocean view you. Between Dana Point and Long Beach there are a bunch of great hotels all within 30 minutes to 45 minutes of the convention center.
Randy Jun 19th 2009 6:52PM
@chinasky,
That may be true....but we're talking about a place to sleep, because people will be at the convention center all day.
Oh and speaking of Ontario airport....passenger planes do not land there between 11pm and 6am (the UPS and FedEx hubs are in and out at those times)
Hatfield Jun 19th 2009 6:47PM
I travel for work and have found that booking tickets through the airline carrier directly is almost always cheaper than going through a ticket broker. It's like eliminating the fee for the middle man. ;)
Codexx Jun 19th 2009 6:54PM
As a local, my advice would be to fly into Long Beach Airport, preferably with JetBlue. It's a small airport, but tend to be a bit more convenient than LAX.
Also, if you're looking for something to do besides Disneyland, Long Beach is probably one of the nicest cities around here, and it's not so far away. From where I live, both Long Beach and Disneyland are about 15 minutes away.